SACRAMENTO – The Independent Expenditures Disclosure Act (AB 404), introduced by Assemblymember Ira Ruskin (D-Redwood City), passed the Assembly Elections and Redistricting Committee with unanimous and bi-partisan support yesterday.  

Independent expenditure committees, by law, must operate “independently” from a candidate.  That means the candidate and the committee cannot coordinate activities and the candidate cannot direct the committee in any way.  However, in some cases, independent expenditures promote a candidate by ascribing to that candidate views actually at variance with his or her beliefs; or when independent expenditures create the false impression that negative ads were approved by a particular candidate. 

AB 404 requires campaign advertisements by independent expenditure committees in support of or in opposition to a candidate to state in the disclaimer that they were not done with the knowledge or cooperation of candidates in the race.  This bill will work to avoid false impressions or deception of the voters and bring greater transparency to independent expenditures (IEs), a growing source of political campaign advertisement.

“My bill provides for cleaner elections.  It makes it clear that ads done independently were not done with any knowledge or cooperation of the candidates involved, thereby avoiding false impressions by the voters.  In the last two elections before contribution limits (Prop 34), the amount of independent expenditures totaled less than $500,000 for legislative races.  Thirty days before the June 2006 primary, independent expenditures totaled more than $16 million.  In light of the growing use of Independent Expenditures, this bill is needed,” Ruskin stated.

In 2000, California voters approved Prop 34, an initiative capping direct contributions for both legislative and gubernatorial candidates.  Independent expenditures, however, were not limited and continue to have the freedom to spend any amount they wish in support or opposition of a candidate.  The intent of Prop 34 was to “increase public information regarding campaign contributions and expenditures.”  This has not happened with regard to independent expenditures.