Post Bashes Bundlers

Well, not bundlers per se, the Post is actually bashing the non-reporting of the activities of campaign finance "bundlers" by political campaigns. It isn't just Norman Hsu, there are other bundlers for Democrats that are facing criminal charges.

Ms. Clinton isn't the only candidate with bundler troubles. Michigan lawyer Geoffrey Fieger was indicted last month on allegations of conspiring to make more than $125,000 in illegal bundled contributions to the 2004 presidential campaign of John Edwards, who declined to identify his bundlers during that campaign. The indictment alleges that Mr. Fieger's law firm reimbursed employees for their contributions by disguising them as bonuses and repaid contractors by calling the amounts payments for services.

These episodes underscore the importance of disclosing bundlers, and they reveal the inadequacy of the current state of affairs, in which no such reporting is required and what reporting does occur is sporadic, insufficient and inaccessible.

And who does the Post hold up as a model for trying hardest to be open and honest about campaign bundlers? George W. Bush. He disclosed more and better information than any of the current crop of Democratic candidates. The Post is calling for a law requiring disclosure. That isn't a bad idea. It would also be a good idea to require open contribution information by any organization that is involved in politics by running "issue ads." Let people or organizations spend whatever they want, but make them show the source of every dime they raise and spend. Simple enough.