The Traverse City Record-Eagle has been running a series of news articles and opinion pieces on some of the troubling aspects of State Senator Jason Allen’s fundraising. While I applaud the Record-Eagle’s attention to the need for campaign finance reform, this issue is not limited to any one Northern Michigan lawmaker. (For details, check out the public campaign finance records available through the Michigan Secretary of State.)

In the coming days, I’ll be rolling out a comprehensive proposal to reform our campaign finance system in ways that can build public trust in our elected officials. These proposals will add transparency by requiring disclosure of some of the murky ways in which politicians can mask the identity of their contributors as well as outlawing some of the worst abuses in the current system.

The abuses reported in the Record-Eagle, as well as those not yet reported, show the need for real reform in how elected officials and candidates raise money. Watch this space for details on my plan to increase transparency and build public trust.