The "No Taxpayer Subsidies for Political Campaigns Act,” which would ask voters to ban the spending of public money on political campaigns, is close to clearing the Senate floor. It's a back-door way of killing Clean Elections by blocking the distribution of dollars to candidates and sweeping the funds back into the general fund.

Lauren Gambino with Cronkite News Service has more details at the East Valley Trib, including this argument from Clean Election's Todd Lang:

Lang argued against the bill before the Senate Judiciary Committee, pointing out that seven of the eight committee members had used Clean Elections money to fund their campaigns at some point during their careers.

“The door was opened for you through Clean Elections. Don’t close the door for others,” Lang said in his testimony. “Allow other folks to run, allow other folks to get their ideas out there into the marketplace of ideas and allow other folks to join the Legislature.”

Todd, you probably shouldn't take credit for creating the current crop of clowns masquerading as lawmakers. It's Exhibit A of why we think Clean Elections has been an utter disaster for the state.