NY progressives push for public campaign finances

A group of progressives is trying to push New York's Legislature to adopt public financing of campaigns as a national model in a special post-election session. WAMC's Dave Lucas has more...

 Unions and religious and good-government groups have joined with the influential Working Families Party to meet Thursday in Manhattan to force a trade-off for public financing of campaigns in exchange for pay raises sought by legislators. Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver has pushed the bill as a way to reduce the influence of money in government. The Senate's Republican majority has opposed using public funds for campaigns. Lawmakers and Gov. Andrew Cuomo say a post-election session is possible in November or December and legislative pay raises could be on the agenda.
But the Senate's GOP lawmakers say raises aren't a priority for them. 
(C) 2012 Associated Press