Murphy Signs Bill Doubling Campaign Contributions

By Christian Wade | The Center Square contributor, The Center Square New Jersey

April 6, 2023

(The Center Square) — The campaign coffers of New Jersey’s election officials are expected to be much fatter the next election cycle after Gov. Phil Murphy quietly signed a controversial bill into law doubling the state’s contribution limits.

The Elections Transparency Act was pushed through the state Assembly and Senate, as a campaign finance reform bill that its backers say will reduce the amount of "dark money" in state politics by setting new disclosure requirements on contributions.

But a key provision of the new law will double New Jersey's individual contribution limits for non-gubernatorial candidates, parties and county party organizations running for elected offices.

Under the new limits, contributions to individual candidates would increase from the $2,600 limit to $5,200 each election cycle. Contributions to political committees would double to $14,400. The limits would also increase annually, under a formula outlined in the legislation.

Murphy didn't hold a press conference to announce the bill's signing, and only issued a brief press release noting he had approved the legislation and two other bills on Monday.

Supporters of the bill argue it will mean more transparency and openness in the state's campaign finance laws, pointing to new requirements for candidates and committees to report contributions over $200 and for independent expenditure committees to report contributions to candidates totaling more than $7,500, instead of the current $10,000 limit.

Republicans opposed the changes, arguing the legislation would do little to curb the already sizable amount of money in state politics, and wouldn't improve accountability.

"The public at large has grown more and more cynical and distrustful of politicians in the political process," state Assemblyman Gerry Scharfenberger, R-Monmouth, said in remarks ahead of the bill's final passage. "One of the most common complaints is the obscene amount of money that seems to dictate the policies and interests of a few at the expense of everyone else."

Critics also say the bill was amended during the committee process to include other controversial provisions, such as one allowing the governor to make unilateral appointments to the Election Law Enforcement Commission, an independent commission that enforces the state's campaign finance laws.

Other controversial provisions of the new act include curbing local pay-to-play laws and setting a two-year statute of limitations on ELEC's authority to act on alleged violations, down from the current 10-year statute of limitations.

Last week, three members of the ELEC board resigned in protest over provisions of the legislation that one board member described as a "frontal assault" on transparency and openness and state government.

In his resignation letter, ELEC's Chairman Eric Jaso accused Murphy of using "blunt political force" to oust the panel's current leadership and said the changes will "destroy" the agency's "hard-earned public perception of independence, transparency and freedom from political influence."

The group's executive director, Jeff Brindle, has refused to resign. He has filed a lawsuit against Murphy and his aides alleging they are part of a conspiracy to force him out using "coercive and extorting threats," in addition to exerting "illegal pressure and interference" in the commission's work.

The focus of the work of The Center Square New Jersey is state and local-level government and economic reporting that approaches stories with a taxpayer sensibility.