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Council Member Restler expresses concerns about CFB's investigative transparency
3:43:02
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132 sec
Council Member Lincoln Restler addresses the Campaign Finance Board's (CFB) investigative processes and transparency regarding campaign finance violations. He expresses concern about the lack of public information on ongoing investigations, particularly in relation to a mayoral campaign allegedly raising funds through lobbyists and individuals on the doing business data list.
- Restler emphasizes the need for more real-time investigations and improved auditing processes.
- He calls for greater transparency to inspire public confidence in the CFB's work.
- The council member suggests that the CFB should share more information about their investigations and findings to help voters make informed decisions.
Lincoln Restler
3:43:02
I mean I'll just I know you don't want me to talk in specifics because you're not going to talk in specifics, but you know, we have a campaign for mayor, a front runner for mayor that's raising we know is extensively raising funds through lobbyists and people on a doing business data list.
3:43:19
It's been widely reported.
3:43:20
It's, you know, it's known in the universe.
3:43:24
And yet we don't have the information to know and understand, has the CFB investigated this thoroughly?
3:43:30
Do we know what act blue links are circulating and what information is being shared?
3:43:35
And can we guarantee that the, you know, many many thousands of dollars that are being raised by lobbyists illegally for this campaign are not actually leading to matching dollars and taxpayer funding inappropriately being dispersed.
3:43:50
And so I am pleased that you're saying you wanna expand those investigative authorities expand these investigative actions by your team, do more in real time, and do more during the auditing process, and that this is part of a review that you've undertaken.
3:44:06
And I have confidence in your commitment to continue to improve the functions of the agency.
3:44:13
I don't though feel like there is any effort to inspire confidence in the public for us to know that things have been properly looked at and investigated and resolved.
3:44:27
You know, the actions from earlier this week were a step, but it feels like there's more questions than answers and that you're not able to share any information because things are still mid review or mid process or midstream.
3:44:40
And so, you know, we're it's I think important to voters to know this is what's been looked into, this is what was found, this is what's being held accountable, this is how a campaign is being held accountable during the election.
3:44:54
Right?
3:44:54
And I just don't think we're there yet.
3:44:57
And so that's I hope that as you think about expanding investigative authority and doing more in real time, also think about how do you inspire confidence in the public and share that information transparently so that voters can make informed decisions.
3:45:13
Thank you.