Dayton, DFL lawmakers seek quicker campaign finance reporting

• Gov. Dayton and Sen. Sieben

Gov. Mark Dayton announces Tuesday that he supports Democrats' bills to require campaign finance releases four times a year. With him are Rep. Steve Simon of St. Louis Park and Sen. Katie Seiben of Cottage Grove. Photo by Don Davis/State Capitol Bureau

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Gov. Mark Dayton and legislative Democrats want quicker reporting of campaign finance donations.

Now, Dayton said, there is a 13-month delay in the report of some contributions. He called for reports every three months, and he said he will begin to issue this quarterly reports next month even though the law does not require him to.

“I am prepared to lead by example,” he said.

Dayton and the Democrats said the lag in reports mean Minnesotans do not know who is influencing lawmakers during the legislative session.

“It’s time to bring some more sunshine into the state Capitol,” Sen. Katie Sieben, DFL-Cottage Grove, said on a cloudy Tuesday.

Dayton said he would be reluctant to sign any election- or campaign-finance-related bill without the provision.

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