Tagged: campaign finance

1. Republican Senate candidate Barry Hinckley says Rhode Islanders don’t much care about campaign finance reform. “I have been around for 16 months, traveling Rhode Island,” Hinckley said during a press event yesterday. “Not one person has brought up campaign finance reform to me, not one, in 16 months.”

UPDATE: Whitehouse strikes back.

Shortly after the end of Hinckley’s news conference this afternoon, Whitehouse released a statement criticizing the GOP:

Today, for a second day in a row, Senate Republicans blocked debate on the DISCLOSE Act, a bill to end secret spending in elections by corporations and other groups.  The vote failed to overcome a filibuster by a vote of 53 in favor to 45 against.  60 votes were required.  Following the vote, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) released the following statement:

Democratic congressional candidate Anthony Gemma says his campaign account collected $242,000 during the quarter that ended June 30, from contributions and a personal loan of unspecified size.

“I am grateful to all who considered my candidacy and made the decision to support it financially,” said Mr. Gemma.  “I shall continue to demonstrate, through deed and word, that their confidence in me was well placed.”

Republican Barry Hinckley continues to lag far behind the fundraising pace set by Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, but Hinckley says he’ll have enough money to get his message out on the way to the November election.

Twin River has spent $578,741 since the start of March to encourage voters to support the expansion of gambling in Rhode Island during a statewide vote this November, state campaign finance records show. The comparable figure for Newport Grand is more modest: $21,400.