...and tightening up

When is a campaign contribution not necessarily a campaign contribution? When it's given in North Carolina, which is a shame. State law lets political candidates use leftover donations any way they want. In recent months, it's been revealed that some candidates closing out their campaign accounts have given leftover funds to their children or spent significant amounts for personal items.

This is a loose law that's ripe for abuse. Money that a donor intends to be used to advance a political agenda instead can go toward Junior's braces or that fishing boat a candidate always wanted. Or the donor may know perfectly well that what he's doing, essentially, is putting money straight in the recipient's pocket -- in return for who knows what kind of special treatment. It can amount to a genteel form of bribery.

One must suspect that special interests who are up to no good are well versed in the weaknesses in the law, and willing to exploit it. They could make a hefty donation, with the candidate's knowledge that the money can be used for any purpose he or she likes, in return for a political favor. No messy envelopes stuffed with cash to be passed. No chance of bank deposits that can be traced.

State Rep. Deborah Ross, a Raleigh Democrat, has asked a special legislative committee to study closing the loophole. That seems like a no-brainer for a state that wants to advance the chances of clean government.