11/22/05: Democracy Group Honors Feingold - Wisconsin Democracy Campaign

Democracy Group Honors Feingold

The Wisconsin Democracy Campaign celebrated its 10th birthday Monday night by awarding U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold its first-ever "Smitty" award for his efforts to rid the political system of the influence of big money.
The award, named after the James Stewart character in the celebrated movie "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," cited Feingold's role along with Arizona U.S. Sen. John McCain in securing passage of the McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform.

The law, the first campaign reform measure to withstand a challenge to the U.S. Supreme Court, is credited with limiting "soft money" in political campaigns.

Mike McCabe, executive director of the Democracy Campaign, called Feingold a "great champion of democracy" for his role not only on campaign finance, but his continued efforts to limit the role lobbyists play in Washington.

In accepting the award, Feingold said it is his aim to make it illegal for lobbyists to give anything of value to lawmakers, Cabinet officials and heads of federal agencies. As a Wisconsin state senator, Feingold successfully sponsored legislation that outlawed lobbyist gifts to Wisconsin legislators.

"It is time for Congress to adopt Wisconsin's rules on lobbying," he said.

More than 200 attended the event at the Edgewater Hotel to commemorate the 10 years that the Democracy Campaign has been keeping tabs on the role money plays in the political system.