Listmania

A slew of Delegates, led by Delegate Joan Cadden, have introduced HB1097 as a response to recent political events in the county. The Synopsis from the MLIS website reads that the bill:

Requiring a campaign finance entity that causes campaign material to be transmitted by or appear on the Internet or other electronic medium that lists the names of specified persons, to obtain written permission from the persons to do so, and to show each person how the name is to be used; requiring campaign finance entities to maintain specified documents and, on request, to make them available to the State Board of Elections; etc

This bill is almost certainly in response to the recent trend amongst some politicians to put a laundry list of politicians on their site, claiming that the entire list is helping out their campaign. It started with John Leopold and has now spread to Pat Corcoran. I do not want to speculate as to what the genesis of this bill is. Perhaps Leopold, Corcoran or another politician is using somebody's name on such a laundry list without the permission of that individual. If anybody were to be using the name of an individual in an improper manner and without permission, I think it would be a sad commentary on the individual using such tactics.

On principle, I oppose the posting of such lists to any candidate's website. The lists serve no purpose other than to provide a laundry list of people that the candidate claims supports them. It does not translate to legitimate grassroots support, nor does it translate to fundraising prowess. It is just a litany of names. The candidates who use them are trying to make a point, but your guess is as good as mine as to what the point actually is.