Democrats are giddy about the conviction of Paul Schurick. The campaign manager to Republican Bob Ehrlich was found guilty Tuesday of four criminal charges related to the misleading robocall that was sent to more than 100,000 voters on Election Day 2010.
But the Dems’ glee should be tempered by some other realities of politics that may not make their way to a criminal courtroom but are just as damaging to the integrity of the political process and voter participation.
At the same time jurors in Baltimore were weighing arguments about the so-called authority line that was missing from the robocall, millions of dollars were flowing to candidates of both parties all over the country from donors who, by law, are permitted to keep their identities hidden. They funnel their contributions through tax exempt entities that are not required to disclose their names. This is one way special interests are able to gain such a powerful grip on people who get elected.
In Maryland, candidates of both parties happily accept money from big donors who get around the state’s limits on contributions by funneling their donations through llc’s that disguise the real source of the money. These are the same businesses and developers, by the way, that show up at the head of the line when it comes time to award state and local government contacts.
In Baltimore in the last election, there was no robocall to suppress the vote. Voters stayed home on their own…..in droves. Stephanie Rawlings-Blake trounced her opponents in the mayoral election but turnout was so poor she won with just 10.6& of all registered voters. That means 9 out of 10 city voters chose not to show up.
Just as troubling — Rawlings-Blake was able to spend $1.8 million to get elected. That is an astounding $46 per vote. This is the result of Baltimore’s rigged system that so heavily favors incumbents (all Democrats) and cuts out Republicans, Independents and others by refusing to allow an open primary. No wonder voters are so uninspired.
Prosecutors believe the Schurick case sends a message that discourages dirty tricks. But such tactics aren’t the only virus on politics. And the cure requires a lot more than one party’s celebration of a jury’s verdict.
