If only a few contributions from individuals were received, we did not grade the legislator. The grades reflect how well the legislator provided full information on the occupation and employer of donors in an easily readable, organized format. There s time to improve a poor grade. The grades don t reflect accuracy in addition, nor the accuracy of job titles or employers. This is a test of minimal compliance, and there s no good reason for not achieving a grade of C or better.
Legislators face another important test on disclosure.
They must approve new funds for the Board of Election campaign reporting section so it can hire the staff needed to enter the raw data from these reports into a computer and analyze them in a timely manner. The public doesn t just need mountains of raw data. We need clerical staff, accountants, and investigators to make sense of the information and to make sure politicians, PACs, and parties are held accountable for the money flowing through their treasuries.