A “Poison Pill” in HR 1:

** While HR1 is sold as a way to get money out of politics and to protect voters, it contains a ‘poison pill’ for democracy and opposition parties like the Green Party” said Green Party National Co-Chair Tony Ndege. “How can they call this bill ‘For The People’ when they are silencing alternative parties at a time when more people than ever are demanding more political choice?”

“The Green Party stands opposed to this bait-and-switch legislation that claims to improve access to voting while actually dismantling everyone's right to organize electorally against the parties of War and Wall Street,” said Green Party National Co-Chair Gloria Mattera. “In recent presidential elections, Greens have been the only candidates to participate in the primary matching funds program. HR1 must be amended to stop this attack on presidential campaign matching funds that Green candidates have relied on for almost a decade — or the bill must fail.”

The Green Party is calling attention to other problematic provisions in HR1, which will:

Abolish the general election campaign block grants parties may access by winning at least 5% of the vote in the previous presidential election

Replace those general election block grants (where candidates receive one lump sum for all campaign expenses) with matching funds through Election Day — a step backwards for public campaign finance reform. Qualifying for general election matching funds will depend on meeting the new primary matching funds criteria designed to squeeze out alternative parties and independent candidates

Eliminate the limits on donations and expenditures candidates can receive and make

Inflate the amount of money national party committees can give to candidates from $5000 to $100 million, an astonishing increase of 1999900%*