Speakman to Explain Super PACs

The fifth of six significant issues of the 2012 Presidential campaign will be discussed tonight at 7 in the Barrington library auditorium by Barrington's Town Council president.

June Speakman, a professor of political science and the head of the political science department at Roger Williams University, will talk about Super PACs.

Her presentation is part of “Take Six: The Big Issues of 2012,” sponsored by the library and the League of Women Voters.  

Super PACs, officially known as "independent-expenditure only committees," may not make contributions to candidate campaigns or parties, but may engage in unlimited political spending independently of the campaigns, according to an explanation on Wikipedia.

Also unlike traditional PACs, they can raise funds from corporations, unions and other groups, and from individuals, without legal limits.

Speakman has taught at RWU since 1995, according to the RWU faculty website. She holds a B.A. in Economics from UMass/Amherst, an M.A. in Economics from the New School for Social Research and a Ph.D. in Political Science from City University of New York.

Speakman's research interests include congressional voting behavior, women and political, state and local government and municipal management.

Among her publications are "In A Different Voice: Gender and Political Advertising" in We get What we Vote for, do We? (Sage, 1999); and "The Cop vs. Council Member" in Cases in Municipal Management (2006).

The series runs through Oct. 11. The final session will look at education policy.

Registration is not required. The series is free and open to everyone.