Campaign spending topped $120 million in the 2004 cycle

Tuesday, June 28, 2005 | 9:02 a.m.

LANSING, Mich. -- Gambling interests were major players in the state's 2004 election cycle, a report released Monday confirms.

The analysis by the Michigan Campaign Finance Network, a nonprofit watchdog based in Lansing, also called for changes in state law to improve accountability in election spending. It lists as major flaws a lack of restrictions on political parties and political action committees, weak regulation and the lack of timely reporting of campaign spending.

"We should know who put money in ... in a timely manner, not seven months after an election," said Rich Robinson, executive director of the Michigan Campaign Finance Network.

Michigan political campaign spending topped $120 million in the 2004 cycle, the report said, not counting some types of spending on the presidential race between Republican George Bush and Democrat John Kerry.

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