Gov. Rendell to propose limits on political cash in Pennsylvania

Gov. Ed Rendell said Thursday he will propose limits on giving money to state-level campaigns in Pennsylvania, capping what a person or group can give to a single candidate as well as the cumulative amount during a campaign cycle.

Rendell said he will unveil a proposal with specifics in January. But, he cautioned that unless candidates get free time to advertise on television, they will need to pay for expensive airtime and will look for ways to circumvent the spirit of campaign finance limits.

The only way to make campaign finance limits work, he said, is for the U.S. Congress to mandate that television stations give candidates free advertising time in the six weeks before an election.

"That eliminates, eliminates big money in politics," Rendell told reporters at a Capitol news conference. "Everything else, there are always smart lawyers who will find a way to get around it."



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