Giff Miller drives his bandwagon through loophole


(by mgh)

Giff Miller's campaign had so much fun gathering signatures to put his name on the primary ballot (which I helped with), they decided to do it again.

The deadline to qualify for the Democratic primary ballot past, Giff Miller is now additionally trying to qualify as the candidate for a new party, called "Smaller Class Size." You've heard of single-issue voters. This is a sub-single-issue party.

It is also shrewd electioneering. Having raised more primary funds than campaign finance law allows him to spend on one primary, he is using a loophole to spend the remainder by launching a second primary campaign. It carries no real risk - his campaign has said he will not run as a spoiler if he doesn't get the Democratic nomination - and, if he is the candidate, it can't hurt on election day to have the city
printing his campaign slogan for him on the ballot beside his name.

Miller similarly slipped through another loophole recently by sending out a major campaign mailing using City Council funds -- the mailing did not mention the mayoral race, and so was legal as simply a bit of City Council public relations. Miller is the City Council speaker.

On one hand, these maneuvers clearly violate the spirit of campaign finance law. He would set a better example, and be a better candidate, by winning cleanly than with tricks. On the other hand, in a campaign against a billionaire expected to spend $70 million to get elected, tricks help.

(Miller - who has raised the most of any Democratic candidate - has about $7 million so far. Here is what a Bloomberg (B) vs. Giff Miller (G) advertising battle will look like: BBBBBBGBBBB.)

Howard Dean in last year's primary decided to skip public funding so he could spend the extra money he'd raised (opening the door for John Kerry to do the same). George Bush has used taxpayer money to send out little ads for himself along with tax refund checks. These tricks are part of the game.

And while part of me realizes we need a candidate who's good at playing it, another part just wishes that elections - particularly election ethics - were not just another sport.

Posted: Mon - July 11, 2005 at 07:45 AM   | Category:     |   |   | |


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