Watchdog agency acts to make political committees more transparent
Sweeping new rules would require that groups trying to influence elections name the candidates they're backing.
SACRAMENTO — The committee known as Leadership California has doled out millions, funding campaigns to recall a state senator, approve transportation bonds and extend term limits for legislators.
Behind the generic name is a major player in state politics: Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata. But the fact that Perata, a Democrat from Oakland, controlled the committee as it spent big bucks to sway elections was not readily apparent to voters.
On Thursday, the Fair Political Practices Commission, the state's ethics watchdog agency, took the first step toward making sweeping changes aimed at lifting the veil from political committees trying to influence elections in California. The commission will now accept public comments on the proposed rule changes before holding a meeting to vote on whether to adopt the requirements.
"Having the candidate's name in all candidate-controlled committees adds greatly to public disclosure," said Hyla Wagner, a senior attorney for the FPPC, in a report proposing the changes.
The proposed new rules, which would apply to committee names included on political mailers and broadcast ads, would also require that:
* Election committees include the name of the candidate, the office sought and the year of the election.
* Ballot measure committees identify in their names the top three donors in descending order of the amount given.
* Independent expenditure committees set up to influence an election use, in their names, the candidate being supported or opposed, the office involved and the year of the election.
Politicians and major donors may have an interest in disguising their involvement in a campaign if voters would react negatively knowing how extensively they are involved, said Kathay Feng, executive director of California Common Cause.
"In a lot of situations it doesn't work in the candidate's or proposition's favor to know who the politician is behind a committee," Feng said. "Any disclosure that increases voter knowledge of who is behind committees is a good thing."
The new rule on candidate-controlled committees would also affect groups such as Strengthening California Through Leadership, which is run by Assembly Speaker Karen Bass.
Paul Hefner, a spokesman for Perata, said they had no objection to the changes.
"We'd be all right with that," Hefner said. "We think disclosure is a good thing."
