Huffington Magazine Issue 72 | Page 58

BILL CLARK/CQ ROLL CALL/GETTY IMAGES CRACKING THE CODE “It just doesn’t solve the problem and really just creates subsidies for big-dollar donors,” he said. Wertheimer disagrees, saying that the Price-Van Hollen bill is “the closest” to the New York City model “of any of those bills around.” The Sarbanes bill, Wertheimer argues, is not true to the New York City model because it only matches contributions of $100 or less and places low contribution limits on participating candidates. HUFFINGTON 10.27.13 The New York City system matches the first $175 of any donation. “It’s very difficult for me to understand how groups that are supporting and advocating strongly the same kind of system in New York that exists in the Price-Van Hollen proposal can then credibly turn around and say, ‘Well, that’s just too objectionable for us,’” Wertheimer said. Other supporters of the Price-Van Hollen bill, however, find the protest by some progressives unnecessary. “It’s not worth spending a whole lot of time fighting about any of Campaign finance reform advocate Fred Wertheimer speaks in front of the Supreme Court after the McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission arguments this month.