California Supreme Court forced revelation of $11m

By Elaine Elbizri, Letter to the Editor
Palo Alto Online, November 5th, 2012

California Supreme Court forced 'Americans for Responsible Leadership' to reveal the source of $11 million dollars they used to campaign against prop 30 and for prop 32.

It took an emergency California Supreme Court ruling on Sunday to reveal that the $11 million in secret campaign money spent on Prop 32 and against Prop 30 from an obscure Arizona nonprofit was actually laundered from other nonprofits associated with the Koch brothers. This clearly shows two things.

These hidden donations illustrate that Proposition 32's claims to be campaign reform are false. Real campaign reform initiatives aren't pushed by shadowy organizations that hide who's funding them. And they don't unilaterally disarm one side while creating special exemptions for corporations and billionaires. That's why real reform organizations like the California Clean Money Campaign, California Common Cause, and the League of Women Voters of California all oppose Prop 32.

It also illustrates how badly we need to pass the California DISCLOSE Act next year to strengthen our disclosure laws and to make sure that political ads have to show who really pays for them.

Vote tomorrow.

Support California Clean Money.

Elaine Elbizri
Palo Alto


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