SACRAMENTO -- California lawmakers are proposing a trio of bills they say would update the state's campaign finance laws and better recognize free speech rights, but several open-government groups are fighting the measures, fearing they would allow special interests to overwhelm elections.
Opponents say the bills would decrease public reporting of charitable contributions given at the behest of politicians and create a loophole in the regulation of funds spent by political parties, unions and other groups communicating with their members in support of candidates.
"Politicians are whittling away at the laws meant to deny special interests a stranglehold on California politics," said Carmen Balber, a spokeswoman for the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights. "But the details of campaign laws are as important as their core; shave off the edges and the whole campaign finance structure crumbles."
The bill that has received the most attention is AB 1430, which generally would prohibit local governments from adopting campaign finance ordinances that restrict communications between an organization and its members.
It is backed by the California Republican Party, California Democratic Party, California Labor Federation and National Rifle Assn.
"I value free speech and the ability for membership organizations to communicate with their members," said Assemblyman Martin Garrick (R-Solano Beach), the bill's author.
Garrick said his bill would clarify existing law enacted by voters in 2000 in Proposition 34 and preempt local regulation of member communications.
The bill has drawn opposition from the Los Angeles Ethics Commission, San Diego Ethics Commission, California Clean Money Campaign, League of Women Voters of California and California Common Cause.
Opponents are pointing to the 2001 mayoral election in Los Angeles as the reason the bill should be rejected.
When Antonio Villaraigosa unsuccessfully ran for mayor in 2001, a number of rich contributors, including billionaires Eli Broad and Ron Burkle, first gave up to the $1,000 city limit directly to Villaraigosa, then wrote checks for $100,000 each to the state Democratic Party, which waged its own mail and phone campaign urging Democrats to support Villaraigosa.
For five years, Los Angeles has required political parties, unions and others to disclose within 24 hours of spending $1,000 or more on member political communications, such as a letter from a union to its members urging it to vote for a candidate. If more than $10,000 is spent, they must report the source of those contributions.
