Federal Election Campaign Act Amendments - 1976 (3)” of the Philip Buchen Files at the Gerald R
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The original documents are located in Box 14, folder “Federal Election Campaign Act Amendments - 1976 (3)” of the Philip Buchen Files at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library. Copyright Notice The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Gerald R. Ford donated to the United States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections. Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library. Some items in this folder were not digitized because it contains copyrighted materials. Please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library for access to these materials. Digitized from Box 14 of the Philip Buchen Files at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library :..---· Meeting Friday 3/19 -- 10:30 a.m. Common Cause John Gardner David Cohen Fred Wertheimer Monday 3/15/76 Meeting 3/19/76 10:30 a.m. 5:20 We have scheduled a meeting at 10:30 a.m. on 833-1200 Friday 3/19 for the following people from Common Cause: John Gardner Chairman of the Board David Cohen President Fred Wertheimer To discuss campaign finance reform matters. Do you want Barry to sit in? J THE WHITE HOUSE \ WASHINGTON February 16, 19 7 6 Dear Mr. Gardner: On behalf of the President, thank you for your telegram urging his support for prompt reconstitution of the Federal Election Commission. We appreciate your concern in this regard. 1ne President has today proposed legislation to the Congress to immediately reconstitute the Federal EleCtion Commission with all of its powers intact. He has also called on the Congress to work with him to achieve this goal by February 29. As you are aware, the Supreme Court's decision has sharply altered the comprehensive regulatory scheme provided for in the Federal Election Campaign Act Amendments of 1974. Accordingly, the President has proposed that the election laws relating to the Commission and the public financing provisions be limited to elections through 1976. This will ensure that Congress does undertake a full-scale review of the election laws. Once the current elections have been completed and we have had the opportunity to review any problems presented in the present law, the President will submit to Congress a new, comprehensive election reform bill to apply to future elections. With the support of the Administration, members of Congress and groups such as Common Cause, prompt reconstitution of the Commission is possible, and the integrity ofour electoral process will have b e en protected. I am enclosing for your information a c~py of the President's message to the Congress and the legislation he has proposed to reestablish the Commission. Sincerely' {) yours, /!14 RogeJ!J. !!;rton'VZ-v Counsellor to the President Mr. John Gardner Common Cause 2030 M Street, N. W. Washington, D. C. ~: Phil Buchen C• ~ ; t I ' w""" 0 lLE032 WArll3Cl314> (2.;.02li57E035>PD 02/04/76 1314 Jglfif.EB I -4 Pti I: . ICS IPM~TZZ CSP ~ e -~ ~ 202i331200 TDMT WASHINGTON DC iS 02-04 Oll4P EST PMS PRESIDENT GERALD FORD, THE PRESIDENT FORD C0~:1ITTEE, DLR ', li2i L ST NORTHWEST SUITE 250 -- WASHINGTON DC -- n URGE YOU TO PUBLICLY ANNOUNCE YOUR SUPPORT FOR RECONSTITUTING THE I FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION WITH ITS FULL POWERS INTACT~ AS A ~ 0 -j KNO\~ 1 PARTICIPANT IN THE PUBLIC FINANCING SYSTEM, YOU THAT ItlDEPENDENT ENFORCEMENT IS THE KEY TO MAKING THE NEW SYSTEM WORK. THE PUBLIC WILl NOT TOlERATE ANY INGENIOUS ARRANGEMENT WHICH PP.OVIDES THE CONTINUANCE Or PRESIDENTIAL SUBSIDY FUNDS WITHOUT ANY ]~ ltiDEPENDENT COMMISSION. THE NATIONS LONG FIGHT TO CLEAN UP ELECTIONS SHOUlD NOT BE lOST AND THE PEOPLE •s CONFIDENCE ERODED ONCE MORE BY ; Q . - ... - ~ SHILLY•SHALYING IN CONGRESS JOHN GARDNER CHAIRMAN DAVID COHEN PRESIDENT COM~N CAUSE SF-1201 (R~9) r ---• · ---,.-------------:""'--....-- ' ' 1- • ./ :. ,,/' , '! 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OFFICE OF THE V I CE PRES I DENT WASHINGTON March 18, 1976 MEMORANDUM FOR PHIL BUCHEN FROM: Peter J. Wallison ~ For your meeting tomorrow with John Gardner, I attach a recent news release from Common Cause. It doesn't appear to relate specifically to the matter you will be discussing-. Attachment ,, ' ~\ \Jlj\..l.)WJ) N E W S \ ~ ,.. ---- ··-'" ...---···· - .. --...,_-,...__.._. from COMMON CAUSE 2030 M Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20036 202/833-1200 For Information: Franci Eisenberg Ellen Tchorni MARCH 1976 EDITORIAL MEMORANDUM TAX CHECK-OFF CONTRIBUTIONS TO CAMPAIGN FUND CONTINUE TO INCREASE; PROVIDE BROAD SUPPORT FOR FINANCING ELECTIONS Contributions through the tax check-off mechanism have increased year after year since the Presidential Election Campaign Fund was established in 1972. The latest figures sho~ that 26.5% of taxpayers filing early returns this year· have used the check-off provision and that when all 1975 returns are filed, taxpayers will have contributed more than $100 million to the fund in the first four years. The rapid increase in the use of the tax check-off indicates broad and growing support for public financing t>f ~" Federal elections made aware of the opportunity, millions of Americans are willing to contribute their own tax dollars for a better and cleaner electoral process. And the dividends of th~ matching-fund system are already appa rent: Presidential candidates are turning to the grass-roots for their financial support. This editorial memorandum deals with the most recent check-off contributions, the recent Supreme b e nefits of the public financing mechanism. Common edi·tors will remind taxpaye rs, while many are preparing to file their re~urns, of the opportunity to contribute to the new system of finan- c ing Presidenti al elections. You may use this material in any way you • • .... .:. .... 1 .• ~ a ol ~rP P ~n r All o ur o f fice if you have questions TAX CHECK-OFF CONTRIBUTIONS TO CAMPAIGN FUND CONTINUE TO INCREASE; PROVIDE BROAD SUPPORT FOR FINANCING ELECTIONS The principle of public financing of campaigns has received e1ree strong endorsements in this Presidential election year: from the public in increased check-off contributions; from the Supxeme Court, which declared the principle constitutional; and from its own operation in the Presidential race. The Tax Check-Off System The Federal Election Campaign Act of 1974 provides Federal funds to match contributions up to $250 to Presidential candidates v1ho qualify for the funds during the 1976 primaries. The law also provides total Federal funding for the general election campaigns of the Republican and Democratic Presidential nominees and propor tional funding for minority party and independent candidates based on performance.