Knute has been an advocate of Campaign Finance Reforms for the last 20 years.  In fact, here is a Voters Pamphlet Statement that Knute penned in support of a ballot measure he helped author.  The ballot measure passed with overwhelming support.

Here is the full text of Knute’s Voter’s Pamphlet Statement from 1994.

Yes on 9

We encourage Oregonians to support ballot measure 9 to limit the influence of special interest money on campaigns.  Too much money in Oregon politics has distorted the political process — special interests have undue influence, and qualified challengers are inhibited from running for office.  Oregonians now feel excluded from their own democratic institutions, and see the legislature as being unresponsive to their concerns.

The sponsoring organizations of this measure faithfully worked within the legislative process in the past to assist in the passing of campaign finance reform laws.  Political gamesmanship and special interests have proved more powerful than grassroots citizen involvement, and the Oregon legislature has failed to pass campaign finance reform.  After 20 years of waiting for the legislature to reform some of the weakest campaign finance laws in the nation, the sponsors felt compelled to put this issue before the voters.

The objectives of measure 9 are straight forward.  One is to return the funding of campaigns to individuals instead of special interest groups.  Twenty years ago individuals provided nearly 60% of campaign contributions in Oregon now it is less than 20% with special interests providing most of the rest.  A legislature elected with the help of individuals will be less influenced by special interest groups and more responsive to Oregonians.  The second goal is to increase competition in campaigns by placing spending limits on candidates.  This should make races more fair and encourage challengers to run against incumbents.

Please Vote Yes On 9 to help rejuvenate Oregon democracy by making individual contributuons and candidate spending limits the foundation of campaign funding.

(This information furnished by Knute Buehler, American Party of Oregon.)