From Peter Orvetti at Green Party Watch:
Dr. Jill Stein’s Green Party presidential campaign is making a push to qualify for federal matching funds. The campaign says it is “committed to running a clean money campaign and is refusing donations from corporate lobbyists or officers of for-profit corporations.”
To qualify, Stein must raise at least $5,000 in qualified contributions in at least 20 states. As of early September, the campaign had crossed that threshold in five states (California, Florida, Massachusetts, New York, and Washington) and was more than halfway to the threshold in eight others.
The campaign hopes to qualify “a year ahead of the election since this would be a highly visible statement that a serious independent left candidate is heading for the ballot in November 2016.” It hopes to qualify in 22 states before submitting its application to the Federal Election Commission “just for safety if some donations are rejected.”
Veteran Green Party activist Howie Hawkins said last week, “The Green Party and its leading presidential candidate, Jill Stein, are best positioned to secure state ballot lines across the country to provide a credible alternative.” He said that by mid-March 2016, “in all likelihood, Bernie Sanders’s campaign will have reached the end of its rope. Sanders’s supporters will then need a Plan B. If Jill Stein is on enough ballots at that time to be considered a credible alternative, the question for progressives will then be, Hillary or Jill?”
Johnson told me he will not seek matching funds again – not for any philosophical reason, but because he no longer trusts the FEC to not double-cross him.
“Crypto” is such an under-appreciated term of affection. 😀
ATBAFT: I checked the Form 1040 for each year from 1973 to 1976 (available on IRS.gov). The checkbox only asked “Do you want to designate $1 of your taxes for this fund?” or similar — they did not have a provision to designate the Presidential Election Campaign Fund contribution to any particular party.
I believe that some states may have had similar provisions on their state income tax returns, and some of those may have allowed funds to be designated to a particular party. The situation you are describing where the Libertarian Party was denied its share of the funds may have taken place at the state level, not the Federal level.
In 1976, the federal funds for presidential candidates (actually for the parties) was introduced at a $1 rate. As I recall, you voluntarily checked a box on your 1040 and then filled in the name of the party you wanted the funds to go to. Hundreds, if not thousands, wrote in “Libertarian Party.”
As you might expect, the FEC never gave funds to the LP. David Nolan contacted them and was basically told “FYTW, the LP isn’t eligible under the rules.” The bucks donated by libertarians were simply stolen and tossed in the slush fund to be given the two major parties. After that, there was no ability to designate a party on your 1040.
At least the current $3 checkoff is voluntary so perhaps Johnson and other Libertarians seeking matching funds can rationalize that the taxpayers who choose to participate are not being robbed.
“Yup. But, I don’t fault the Stein campaign for going after them. I fault the government for offering them.”
Agreed.
Gary Johnson received primary season matching funds during the 2012 campaign. This was the first time any Libertarian presidential candidate received matching funds since matching funds began with the 1976 election. (Other Libertarian candidates of the past may have declined to apply for matching funds on principle, not raised enough money to qualify, or both.)
Not all libertarians agree with this. Some think, for example, that it’s just reclaiming some of our stolen money.
Matt Cholko: I _WOULD_ fault the libertarian candidate if he was seeking and accepting matching funds! It’s the corrupt thing to do! Maybe you just don’t expect any better from the crypto-sociallist Greenies. Figures.
^Yup. But, I don’t fault the Stein campaign for going after them. I fault the government for offering them.
As a libertarian, I totally reject and object to the idea of “Federal Matching Funds” for campaigns. Just another way to rip off the taxpayers.