Lesniak proposes new disclosure rules for Super PAC ads

Raymond Lesniak left the New Jersey Legislature nine years ago after a three-decade career in the State Senate and Assembly, but the Elizabeth Democrat is still drafting legislation and urging lawmakers to take it up.

Lesniak, 80, has sent proposed legislation to Gov. Mikie Sherrill and every member of the Legislature that would require more prominent disclosures on political advertisements financed by Super PACs in federal, state, and local elections in New Jersey.

The proposal follows what Lesniak described as a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that he said allows corporations and wealthy donors to coordinate spending directly with candidate committees, increasing the influence of Super PACs in elections.

“My proposed legislation will make it clear that any campaign message, TV, internet, radio, and mailers are paid for by Super PAC donations,” Lesniak said.  “The public is very much against this influence on elections. It is my strong belief that this will not only lessen Super PACs’ influence on elections but will also backfire on the candidate supported by Super PAC money.”

Under the proposal, television advertisements financed by Super PACs would be required to display a full-screen disclaimer for two seconds at both the beginning and end of each ad stating: “This ad was paid for by (name of Super PAC), a Super PAC, which has no restrictions on the amount of money it can spend.”

Radio advertisements would be required to include the same statement read aloud for at least three seconds, while print advertisements and campaign mail pieces would have to display a prominent two-by-three-inch boxed disclaimer on both the front and back.

Lesniak said the measure would not restrict political speech but instead provide voters with greater transparency about who is financing campaign messages.

“I’m certain this legislation will be held constitutional,” Lesniak said, noting that he has successfully challenged federal and state laws in the past, including the federal sports betting ban that was ultimately struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court.

A former Democratic state chairman in the 1990s, Lesniak was elected to the Assembly in 1977, lost a bid for mayor of Elizabeth in 1980, and was elected to the State Senate in 1983.  He gave up his seat in 2017 to seek the Democratic nomination for governor.