Delvone Michael and the Rev. William H. Lamar IV: Let’s make DC politics more inclusive by reforming pay-to-play culture

Washington is a city that, despite recent growth and prosperity, today still sees staggering levels of inequality that must be addressed. The issues facing DC are not new, and we will not experience a moral revival until our elected officials address the concerns of all citizens, not just those of the wealthy. Our pursuit of racial and economic justice and concern for the well-being of democracy inform our support for the Campaign Finance Reform Amendment Act of 2018, which is on the DC Council’s agenda on Tuesday for final approval.

Earlier this year, the council enacted the Fair Elections Act. By providing for publicly financed campaigns, the law took a bold step in creating a political system that is more inclusive of people of color, women and younger people.

With this latest bill, the council now has an opportunity to build upon previous reforms by curbing pay-to-play politics in the District, improving oversight of campaign finance laws and ensuring contribution limits are respected. All of these changes will help create a government that is more responsive to DC residents, rather than wealthy special interests.

Prohibiting contractors from contributing to candidates will improve the public’s perception of the government and the services provided. The government should award contracts based on merit, not on relationships nourished by streams of campaign cash.  

Corporations and the 1 percent have too much influence nationally, and sadly, DC’s political system is no different. Pay-to-play politics have tarnished the city’s image for far too long. This environment allows for corruption, which unchecked will destroy the moral legitimacy of any government — but especially here in DC, where the difference between the haves and the have-nots is already so stark.

Beyond dampening the confidence Washingtonians have in their government, the current system has decreased quality of service and worsened inequality. Contractors without the means to “pay” are known to not bid on contracts if they expect a would-be competitor to benefit from favoritism. What should be a competitive bidding process becomes a forgone conclusion. But DC residents deserve the high-quality, reliable services a performance-based process can promote.

These issues are not unique to DC, and pay-to-play laws are in place in a number of states and municipalities as well as at the federal level. Blocking this avenue for corruption is only one of the proposals designed to enhance the democratic nature of DC’s elections.

The campaign finance bill would create a new, standalone Campaign Finance Board to oversee the administration and enforcement of the District’s campaign finance laws. Focused on administration of the new Fair Elections program, this board would consist of campaign finance experts and provide the guidance and expertise necessary to implement the program effectively and ensure its goals are met.

Finally, the bill would address the so-called “independent” spending that has increased at every level of government, drowning out the voices of citizens without boundless wealth. It is necessary to ensure that this spending is actually independent of candidates in order to avoid seriously undermining contribution limits and discouraging small-dollar donors from participating in the process. Without these safeguards, the Fair Elections program will be unsuccessful in broadening political participation across socioeconomic lines. If candidates are able to rely on special interests through improper coordinated spending, then most citizens will be relegated to the sidelines, once again mere bystanders in their own communities.

The council gave initial approval to the Campaign Finance Reform Amendment Act of 2018 on Nov. 20 with support from 11 of the 13 council members, but a second, final vote is slated to take place this week.  We urge the council to pass this legislation, fund it adequately, and ensure its implementation in a timely manner. Inequality will not be solved by a single law, but passage of this bill will show that the council is committed to creating a government by the people and, most importantly, for the people.

Delvone Michael is the senior political strategist for the National Working Families Party and former executive director of DC Working Families, and the Rev. William H. Lamar IV is pastor of the Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church at 1518 M St. NW.

This post has been updated to clarify a reference to the DC Council’s Nov. 20 vote; the bill passed 11-0, with Council members Kenyan McDuffie and Brandon Todd voting “present.”