Pointing to the effects of “horrible” super-PACs, Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump on Sunday said America needs to come up with a solution to keep big money out of politics.
“Well, I think you need it, because I think PACs are a horrible thing,” Trump said on CNN’s “State of the Union” when asked if he would pursue campaign finance reform.
The billionaire businessman, who said he is self-financing his campaign, said the wall separating super-PACs and candidates running for public office is illusory.
“First of all, everyone’s dealing with their PAC. You know, it’s supposed to be like this secret thing. They’re all dealing with it,” he said.
Trump pointed to a pair of simultaneous rallies for Republican primary candidate Jeb Bush, one hosted by his campaign and the other by a pro-Bush super-PAC.
“Bush had an event where he had an event for his whatever and an event for his PAC, right? For his campaign. The ballrooms were right next to each other and the events were simultaneous,” he said. “You tell me they’re not dealing with each other?”
He said candidates become “psychologically” beholden to their big-money donors, which may influence them to disregard the public interest.
“Yes, yes, oh yeah. I mean, look, psychologically yes. That’s the way it is,” he said when asked if politicians are swayed by their benefactors.
“Somebody gives them money, not anything wrong, just psychologically when they go to that person, they’re going to do it,” he added. “They owe them. And by the way, they may therefore vote negatively toward the country.”
“That’s not going to happen with me.”
http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/266189-trump-open-to-campaign-finance-reform
