The Cline Center for Democracy is very pleased to announce that Sheila Krumholz, Executive Director of the Center for Responsive Politics (Opensecrets.org) will deliver the keynote address of the 21st annual Cline Symposium, entitled ““Money in American Politics: Open Secrets, Closed Doors and the Fight for Transparency.” The event is open to the public and will take place on November 11, 2016 at 7:00PM in the Ballroom of the Alice Campbell Alumni Center.
The 2016 Symposium will focus on dilemmas raised by the role of money in American democracy. We will explore the tensions between the right to freely speak and participate in the ‘free market’ of ideas and the need to ensure access to the public square is an equal right and not an elite prerogative. Regulating the business of politics means balancing the influence of powerful special interests that might thwart or manipulate the ‘will of the people,’ with free speech and privacy considerations. The effects of ‘dark money,’ the Beltway ‘revolving door,’ transparency, and potential options for campaign finance reform will be central to the discussion.
Members of the public are also welcome to participate in a roundtable session with our expert panel, including Ms. Krumholz and OpenSecrets.org’s Research Director, Dr. Sarah Bryner, veteran campaign strategist Anne Hathaway, Prof. Chris Mooney, Director of the Illinois Institute of Government and Public Affairs (IGPA) and Prof. Vikram Amar, an expert on constitutional issues in election law and Dean of @College of Law. Prof. Scott Althaus, Director of the Cline Center will moderate, and audience participation is welcome. Come join the dialogue in the Illini Union Ballroom at 3:30PM on the 11th.
Additional information about the Symposium, lecture and panel can be found at: https://goo.gl/wnN2Ld and you can RSVP or get maps to the event by visiting our Facebook page.