U TAH LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS
3804 Highland Drive   Suite 8D
Salt Lake City , Utah     84106
www.lwvutah.org
801-272-8683

June 22, 2011

Elizabeth McNamara, President
League of Women Voter of the US
1730 M Street, NW, Suite 1000
Washington , DC 20036-4508

Dear Elizabeth:

Members of the Board of the League of Women Voters of Utah wish to express their concern about the controversial ads targeting Senators Brown and McCaskill.    We are in agreement on our concern about the lack of transparency surrounding the funding of the ads as stated in the resolution of the delegates to the Arizona League convention.

“WHEREAS, The League of Women Voters has long championed Campaign Finance Reform and deplored the recent Citizens United decision by the Supreme Court, therefore, we urge LWVUS to always divulge the source of funding of ads at the time of the distribution of the ads;” 

In a letter posted on the League listserv as a response to the controversy, Judy Duffy says that the Partnership Project, a nonpartisan coalition of environmental and public health groups, approached the League with a grant for television advertising.  This information didn’t seem to be available to the general public or even to the League membership at the time the ads were released.  She said that the donors would be reported in the League’s annual report.  By the time the annual report is published the controversy will have died down and it’s unlikely anyone will even search the report to find this particular information.  Since we insist on transparency from our public officials our board member felt that it is fair that we provide the same type of information to anyone interested.  We do not feel that it is bullying by the opposition, as Judy stated, to seek such information.

The LWVU Board has not come to consensus on whether the ads were the appropriate way for the League to call leaders/legislators to account for their action.  We are having a spirited conversation on the subject.  However, we do encourage the League to be more aggressive in standing up for our positions.

Nelda Bishop                                               

Marilyn A. O’Dell

Co-presidents, League of Women Voters of Utah

CC:  Susan Wilson, Board Liaison