FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: May 16, 2005
 CONTACT :
Craig Reynolds
(916) 319-2008

Assembly kills Wolk campaign finance reform bill

Legislation would prevent circumvention of voter approved contribution limits
SACRAMENTO– Assembly Republicans today killed a campaign reform measure authored by Assemblywoman Lois Wolk (D-Davis) that would limit the amount of contributions to candidates who control ballot measure committees. AB 709, which failed on a 45-31 vote, limits contributions to ballot measure committees controlled by a candidate for state office to no more than $5,600, the same limit as candidates for statewide offices other than Governor. According the California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC), “Since voter approval of the Proposition 34 in November of 2000, the growing use of ballot measure campaigns by elective state office candidates represent a disturbing trend toward circumvention of the candidate contribution limits of that initiative.”

“This measure is essential to protecting the voter approved limits,” said Assemblywoman Wolk. “Regardless of your party affiliation, if you believe we should stand behind the laws we pass and voters approve, you ought to support this bill. A ‘no’ vote is an invitation for further abuse and undue influence by special interests in the electoral process.”

Other legislators spoke in favor of the bill, including Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg (D-Los Angeles), saying the bill “will close a loophole big enough to drive a Hummer through,” a reference to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s use of ballot measure committees to raise funds in excess of $100,000 from individual donors and corporate PACs. Currently, the Governor is limited to raising no more than $26,000 from a single donor for his own re-election.

Last year, similar legislation authored by Wolk to close the loophole was supported by Republicans in the State Senate, including former minority leader Ross Johnson and current Secretary of State Bruce McPherson. But today’s vote produced only one Republican vote, along with 44 Democratic votes, falling short of the two-thirds vote required to amend the Political Reform Act.

“Today was not a good day for those us who want true political reform in California. But we’ll keep trying,” Wolk concluded. In addition to the FPPC, AB 709 is supported by California Common Cause and the California Public Interest Research Group (CALPIRG).
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