SACRAMENTO — Entertainment companies seeking a tax break, Staples Center owners hoping for a change in labor law, an ersatz Indian tribe angling for a casino: All are among the scores of donors writing checks to lawmakers in the final days of the legislative session.
As those lawmakers cast final votes on hundreds of bills, moneyed interests directly affected by them are contributing hundreds of thousands of dollars.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Saturday September 16, 2006 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 1 inches; 60 words Type of Material: Correction
Donations to lawmakers: An Aug. 31 article in the California section on donations made in the final days of the legislative session referred to $17,000 given to state lawmakers by the Gabrielino-Tongva group of Native Americans. At least two groups call themselves Gabrielino-Tongva. Donations were made by the Gabrielino-Tongva based in Santa Monica, not by the Gabrielino-Tongva of San Gabriel.
On Monday, the start of the final four days of the legislative session when 600 bills were awaiting action, interest groups donated at least $193,000, according to information filed with the secretary of state's office and posted on its website.
Insurance companies, rental car firms and major pharmaceutical makers were among the donors whose four-figure checks arrived Monday, as legislators were voting on bills that could mean millions in profits or losses in years to come.
"The whole thing has turned into an almost 24-7 crazy, obsessive system," said attorney Barry Broad, a longtime Capitol lobbyist for the Teamsters union. "All this money is corrosive. It is eating away at the credibility of democratic government."
On two days last week, legislative incumbents and candidates held a combined 33 fundraisers. On Aug. 16, legislators and candidates held no fewer than 25 fundraisers in the vicinity of the Capitol, according to invitations to the events compiled by the Capitol Morning Report newsletter.
Interest groups gave at least $3.5 million, in contributions of $1,000 or more, directly to candidates for Senate and Assembly seats in the first 29 days of August. State law generally caps individual donations to legislators at $3,300.
The last time lawmakers faced a general election as they wrapped up a session was August 2004, when they raised $3.2 million, according to the secretary of state's records. In August 2002, senators, assembly members and others running for legislative seats raised $2.1 million or more, according to the secretary of state's campaign finance records.
"The fundraisers are being held at the moment of maximum leverage, and lobbyists are desperate to make one final good showing," said Doug Heller, of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights. His group is advocating a measure on the November ballot, Proposition 89, to create a system for public financing of political campaigns.
