Comprehensive Campaign Finance Reform Legislation

Public Hearing
Testimony

My name is William R. Benedict. As a proud citizen of Wisconsin, it is a privilege to have this opportunity to testify before the Senate Committee on Campaign Finance Reform and Rural Issues and Information Technology.

I am a retired social worker who is now working full time as a citizen advocate for campaign finance reform and state funding of stem cell research. My special constituency is myself, my family and the citizens of the State of Wisconsin.

I am here this morning because I sincerely believe that our body politic is sick at the core and it is urgently in need of comprehensive campaign finance reform. Our legislature has a systemic and insidious disease so strong that it infects our most dedicated public servants. Wisconsin voters know deep down in their soul that their vote no longer counts. They believe that you have sold them out to those who pay for your elections term after term and now have put in jeopardy their sacred political freedom.

It hurts me this morning to have to say that I believe you have prostituted your office in order to have your election campaigns paid for by the rich and the powerful.

Not until every Wisconsin citizen can run for public office regardless of how much money they have will we have a state government by the people and for the people. I urge you and all of your Senate and Assembly colleagues to take the strong medicine needed to cure this terrible sickness. Please pass Senate bills 12, 25, 171 and 463.

Make Wisconsin pure and clean again!

Thanks again for this opportunity to speak.