WILLIAMSTOWN – A former Williamstown businessman and selectman now living in Tucson, Ariz., has filed a lawsuit charging that senators and representatives who take out-of-state, or out-of-district, contributions are in conflict of interest.
Saying his lawsuit wants to restore power to “We The People,†Chester P. Soling said Tuesday that he aims to plug a loophole in the McCain-Feingold Campaign Finance law that lets non-constituents gain influence by donating to candidates in many districts and states.
Soling sued Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and other Arizona politicians and candidates in federal court in Tucson on June 21. The suit maintains that officials who accept contributions from contributors outside their state or district violate their duty to represent only those who elect them and are thus in conflict of interest.
“Elected officials should not take money from people or entities that they don’t represent – entities that have self-serving agendas that often diverge widely from that of the voters,†Soling said. “I’m doing what I can as an American citizen to help get our country back on track.â€
According to Soling, the Constitution specifies that the election of members of Congress “is an action of the individual states.â€
“That is obvious, for each state makes its own election laws and conducts its own elections,†he wrote in an e-mail Tuesday. “So my question is, why can anyone in another election district or state have a direct say in who the electorate of the district elects. Money is power. You can’t run for office without an adequate source of funds. So when a wealthy person in another state or district donates money to someone running elsewhere, they are not doing that because they like the candidate’s looks. They want to see that person elected to office.â€
In effect, he said, this practice gives the person an extra say, or even an extra vote, while the voters in the district go unheeded, especially after the congressman gets elected. The congressman opens his office to the high roller, not to the ordinary voters, Soling charged.
“In this way, we are saying loud and clear, Mr./Mrs. Congressman, represent those who elect you, not those who support you!†Soling wrote. “They are directly violating their oath of office, and that is to be a surrogate and represent those who vote for you. In other words, my cause is to bring back the power to We The People, not we the money. And, hey, I get nothing out of this but satisfaction.â€
In a story in The New York Times last month, Soling said the Founding Fathers would be “despondent†over the role of money in politics, which is not in keeping with the spirit of a republic.
Soling has launched the Web site www.CongressAbuse.com that contains information about the lawsuit and to contribute to the cause.
“I urge all Americans who care about the future of our country to go to our site and contribute what they can so that we can take this case all the way to the Supreme Court if necessary,†he said.
Soling’s lawyer, Leon Silver of the law firm Keller Rohrback P.L.C., was quoted in The New York Times story as saying Soling wants an injunction to level the playing field and to return the government to the people as the framers of the Constitution intended.
Soling maintains that congressional hearings after the 1998 elections found that senators and congressmen often act from obligation to those who donate the most money to their campaigns. His action would also restrict rich candidates from running for Congress on their own funds, setting the same limit of $2,000 that other contributors face.
Soling, a former real estate and Wall Street business executive who owned a seat on the American Exchange and who built The Orchards in Williamstown, has long been active in public betterment. In addition to serving as a selectman in Williamstown, he was a board member of the League of Women Voters and on the Board of Trustees of Syracuse University, of which he is an alumnus.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.
Your Comments
iBerkshires.com welcomes critical, respectful dialogue. Name-calling, personal attacks, libel, slander or foul language is not allowed. All comments are reviewed before posting and will be deleted or edited as necessary.
No Comments
North Adams Mans Admits to B&Es
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — A city man pleaded guilty Wednesday to a string of breaking and entering incidents this week and was sentenced to 18 months in the House of Corrections.
Christopher Jelley, 36, was picked up on Liberty Street early Wednesday morning after breaking into Freight Yard Pub and stealing several bottles of liquor, according to a report posted on Facebook by interim Police Chief Mark Bailey.
Police had been investigating several break-ins, beginning Monday morning about 3 a.m. when someone was observed on CCTV throwing a rock through the front door window of Dave's Package Store on River Street. The individual took cartons of cigarettes and cigarette lighters.
The suspect was identified by the footage as Christopher Jelley.
On Wednesday, at approximately 12:45 a.m., the police were told by witnesses that they had seen a man wearing a hooded sweat shirt trying to break into EZ Mart on Ashland Street. Two rocks were found outside the store by officers and the front door glass was broken. There was no entry into the store.
A short time later while checking the area, officers found the glass front door of Whitney's Beverage Shop on American Legion Drive had been broken. There was a brick found on the ground in front of the store. The was no entry into the store.
Then at about 1:10 a.m., the dispatch center received a breaking and entering alarm at the restaurant. Officers responded and found that the front door window had been smashed out but could not locate anyone inside.
Ashlyn Lesure scored 18 points, and Regan Shea and Emma Meczywor added 15 and 11, respectively, as the Hurricanes successfully defended their 2024 state crown and won the program’s fourth state title in a run that has seen Hoosac Valley go to the state final nine times since 2014. click for more
Pittsfield High's Matt Dupuis and Lee's Devyn Fillio Sunday won the boys and girls individual high school bowling State Championships at Spare Time.
click for more
While holding its annual elections for the Board of Directors, the committee elected Pittsfield Downtown Inc. Director Rebecca Brien President, officially replacing longtime Director Pete Marchetti. click for more
Capped by Sam St. Peter’s come-from-behind win in the final bout of the day to win the 285 crown, the Spartans placed second at the Western Massachusetts Division 3 Championships at Mount Greylock. click for more
