Buying an Election
The New York mayoral election cries out for bringing back campaign finance reform discussions after this settles down a little (“N.Y. Mayor-Elect Finds City on a Financial Cliff,” Nov. 8). Sure, Michael Bloomberg had Rudolph Giuliani’s endorsement, but it took $50 million in TV dollars--which he insisted on paying out of his own pocket--and a last-week blitz to put him over the top. Without that last big-bucks push it would probably not have happened, given candidate Mark Green’s lead. But this was pocket change compared to the current New Jersey senator, who poured in $80 million of his own money to win it.
Where does it end? With the passage of campaign finance reform. McCain-Feingold to the rescue.
Maurice J. Flantzman
Los Angeles
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