"Concern should drive us into action, not into a depression." -- Karen Horney

Initiative Petition Disclosure Act introduced

California Clean Money Campaign, Press Release, 2/17/17

SACRAMENTO, CA -- A new bill to require that initiative petitions circulated by paid signature gatherers must clearly disclose their top 3 funders was launched with the introduction of SB 651 by Senator Ben Allen. SB 651 is sponsored by the California Clean Money Campaign.  Full story

2017 California DISCLOSE ACT Introduced by Assemblymembers Gomez and Levine

California Clean Money Campaign, Press Release, 12/6/16

SACRAMENTO, CA -- A new effort to give voters the information they need by requiring significantly greater transparency in political ads was launched with the introduction of the 2017 California DISCLOSE Act by Assemblymembers Jimmy Gomez and Marc Levine. The 2016 version, AB 700, was endorsed by more than 300 organizations and leaders, with 106,000 Californians signing petitions urging the legislature to pass it.  Full story

Governor Brown Signs Major Step Towards Citizen-Funded Elections

California Clean Money Campaign, Press Release, 9/29/16

SACRAMENTO -- Today, Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill giving all Californian jurisdictions the right to give their citizens a bigger voice in democracy by changing the way election campaigns are financed. SB 1107 amends California??™s antiquated ban on public financing of campaigns to allow local governments and the state to pass their own systems for citizen funding of election campaigns to magnify the voices of small donors and everyday voters.  Full story

Californians Lose As State Republican Senators Unite To Kill Landmark Political Reform

California Clean Money Campaign, Press Release, 9/1/16

Sacramento, CA -- Despite overwhelming support from the public, including petition signatures from more than 106,000 Californians, the California State Senate yesterday failed for the final time to muster the two-thirds vote required to pass Assembly Bill 700 (Gomez-Levine), a landmark bill that would have shone a light on Dark Money and required the true funders of political ads to be disclosed on the ads themselves.  Full story

California Legislature Passes Bill Giving Localities and the State the Option to Create Systems for Citizen Funded Elections

California Clean Money Campaign, Press Release, 9/1/16

SACRAMENTO -- Last night, the California legislature passed SB 1107, a bill to amend California's antiquated ban on public financing of campaigns and to allow local governments and the state to address special interests in politics by passing their own systems for citizen funding of election campaigns to magnify the voices of small donors and everyday voters.  Full story

Landmark disclosure bill, California DISCLOSE Act, AB 700, Passes Assembly

California Clean Money Campaign, Press Release, 1/27/16

SACRAMENTO, CA -- With a bipartisan vote in the State Assembly today, California moved one step closer to enacting the nation's most comprehensive election disclosure law. Assembly Bill 700, authored by Assemblymember Jimmy Gomez (D-Los Angeles) and sponsored by the California Clean Money Campaign, requires all non-candidate campaign committees to clearly and prominently disclose the identity of their top three true funders on their campaign advertisements.  Full story

Overturn Citizens United Act moves to Governor Brown's desk

California Clean Money Campaign, Press Release, 7/3/14

"On the last day of the legislative session before the 4th of July, in an important achievement for the national movement to overturn the Supreme Court's Citizens United and McCutcheon decisions, the California State Senate passed SB 1272, the Overturn Citizens United Act..."  Full story

California makes an official call for a U.S. Constitutional Convention to overturn Citizens United

California Clean Money Campaign, Press Release, 6/23/14

Today, the State Senate passed AJR 1, making California the second state in the union to officially call for an Article V constitutional convention for the sole purpose of passing a United States constitutional amendment that would effectively overturn Citizens United...  Full story

Overturn Citizens United Act Passes California Senate

California Clean Money Campaign, Press Release, 5/28/14

In an important achievement for the national movement to overturn the Supreme Court's Citizens United and McCutcheon decisions, the California State Senate today passed SB 1272, the Overturn Citizens United Act, which would allow Californians to vote in November 2014 to demand a U.S. Constitutional amendment that says corporations aren't people, and money isn't speech.  Full story

Bills Against Citizens United Added to 2013-2014 Clean Money Scorecard

California Clean Money Action Fund, Press Release, 5/23/14

The California Clean Money Action Fund announced that it is updating the California Clean Money Scorecard for 2013-2014 by adding two bills that call for overturning the Supreme Court's Citizens United and McCutcheon rulings: SB 1272 (Lieu) and AJR 1 (Gatto).  Full story

Governor Brown Signs SB 27, Historic Bill Against Dark Money

California Clean Money Campaign, Press Release, 5/13/14

SB 27, a bill that has national implications by requiring greater transparency from non-profit organizations that spend significant amounts on California campaigns, was signed by Governor Jerry Brown today.  Full story

Historic Victory over Dark Money as SB 27 Passes Senate and Goes to Governor's Desk

California Clean Money Campaign, Press Release, 5/7/14

SACRAMENTO — SB 27, a bill that has national implications by requiring greater transparency from non-profit organizations that spend significant amounts on California campaigns, passed the full Senate today in an overwhelming and bipartisan 28-7 vote.  Full story

Initial Bills for 2013-2014 Clean Money Scorecard Announced

California Clean Money Action Fund, Press Release, 3/17/14

The California Clean Money Action Fund announced the bills that will be scored in the 2013-2014 California Clean Money Scorecard.? The scorecard rates legislators on how often they side with regular Californians by voting for key campaign finance reform and disclosure legislation that is overwhelmingly popular with voters.  Full story

California Democratic Party Passes Political Advertising Disclosure Resolution

California Democratic Party, by California Democratic Party, 7/31/11

The California Democratic Party passed a resolution for Political Advertising Resolution calling for "full disclosure, on the ads themselves, of the largest major funders of all political television, radio, print, slate mailer, and online advertising for ballot measures, independent expenditures, and issue advocacy..."   Full story

Councilmembers Alarcon, Cardenas, And Hahn Hold Key to Fair Elections in Los Angeles

California Clean Money Campaign, by California Clean Money Campaign, 10/29/10

The Los Angeles City Council is scheduled to vote today on a critical electoral reform package, the Los Angeles Voters' Bill of Rights. Introduced by Councilmembers Jose Huizar, Eric Garcetti, and Paul Koretz, the Voters' Bill of Rights is designed to increase the city's anemic voter turnout and strengthen its public matching funds program to limit special interest control over elections.   Full story

Frustrated with Politics-As-Usual, Voters Ready to Act

Yes on Proposition 15, Press Release, 10/22/09

A new statewide survey shows that voters are ready to change the way California politicians finance their election campaigns by approving the California Fair Elections Act on the June 2010 ballot.   Full story

California Fair Elections Campaign Statement on Today's Field Poll

Yes on Proposition 15, Press Release, 10/13/09

"Today’s Field Poll is more evidence that Californians are ready to change the way we finance California elections.  The California Fair Elections Act on the June 2010 ballot would do start to make that change, and so represents the change voters want and the reform California sorely needs..."   Full story

Bay Area Leaders Say True Health Reform Requires Campaign Finance Reform

Yes on Proposition 15, Press Release, 10/2/09

As the nation debates reforms necessary to make health care more accessible and affordable, State Senator Loni Hancock (D-Oakland), the League of Women Voters of Oakland, the California Nurses Association and Health Care for All gathered today to call for the passage of the California Fair Elections Act to get insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies and other anti-reform interests out of the business of funding political campaigns.   Full story

California Fair Elections Campaign Announces Major Labor Endorsement

Yes on Proposition 15, by Californians for Fair Elections, 9/2/09

The California Fair Elections campaign today announced that the nation’s largest public employee union, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), has joined the California Fair Elections Act’s (CFEA) growing list of endorsers.   Full story

Latino Leaders Tout California Fair Elections Act

Yes on Proposition 15, Press Release, 8/14/09

Led by Assemblymember Hector De La Torre, Latino leaders came together today to educate the Southern California community about the California Fair Elections Act, a ballot proposition which would help level the playing field for Latino candidates running for elected office.   Full story

California Fair Elections Campaign Comments on Budget Agreement

Yes on Proposition 15, Press Release, 7/20/09

“The budget agreement announced today represents more of the same broken politics in Sacramento..  Fortunately, voters will have the chance to shake up business as usual by passing the California Fair Elections Act on the June 2010 ballot..."   Full story

California Fair Elections Campaign Announces Sierra Club Endorsement

Yes on Proposition 15, Press Release, 7/16/09

The California Fair Elections Campaign today announced that the Sierra Club, the nation’s largest and oldest grassroots environmental organization, has endorsed the California Fair Elections Act, which will appear on the June 2010 ballot.  Full story

California Fair Elections Campaign Announces Resounding Support from Bay Area Legislative Leaders

Yes on Proposition 15, Press Release, 6/22/09

SACRAMENTO, CA -- The California Fair Elections campaign today announced that twenty-one Bay Area legislators have joined the California Fair Elections Act’s (CFEA) growing list of endorsers.   Full story

Voters' Defeat of Special Election Measures Demonstrates Why California Needs Fair Elections

Yes on Proposition 15, Press Release, 5/19/09

“Today’s special election results demonstrate clearly that voters are tired of Sacramento’s politics as usual...  The California Fair Elections Act represents the change voters want, and the reform California so badly needs.”   Full story

$1 Billion in Cash Hauled Down by Sacramento Politicians Demonstrates Need for Fair Elections

Yes on Proposition 15, Press Release, 4/13/09

Proponents of the California Fair Elections Act said that a new report released by the state’s Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) today demonstrates precisely why California needs fair elections reform.   Full story

Support AB 2552

Common Cause, by Christina Lokkee, 6/16/08

California Common Cause is sponsoring AB 2552 (Krekorian) to provide better disclosure of the economic interests behind efforts to influence California’s elections.   We urge you to support AB 2552.   Full story

Fair Elections Passes out of Appropriations Committee

California Clean Money Campaign, Press Release, 6/4/07

Last Thursday, an amended version of the Clean Money and Fair Elections Act of 2007 (AB 583) was voted out of the Assembly Appropriations Committee by a vote of 12 to 5.  In its amended form, AB 583 will serve as a pilot program for the office of Governor and one open Assembly and State Senate race in 2010.  Full story

Prop 89 Loses, But Adds to the Base for Reform

California Clean Money Action Fund, by California Clean Money Action Fund, 11/9/06

"As most of you know, Proposition 89 lost at the polls Tuesday, along with almost every other non-bond ballot measure...  We will listen to what the voters are telling us, we will respond to it and, in the words of Arnold Schwarzenegger, we will be back -- with a Clean Money proposal that will be successful..."  Full story

Yes on 89 Campaign Announces Spanish Language Statewide Radio Campaign

Clean Money Now - Yes on 89, 11/3/06

The Yes on Proposition 89 campaign -- a ballot initiative to clean up political corruption -- is announcing a new Spanish language radio and voter contact campaign built around "Si en la 89," a cumbia sensation by noted Los Angeles band XochiSoneros  Full story

New Prop. 89 Ad Calls on Voters to End Onslaught of Ads That Pound Fed Up Californians Into Not Voting

Clean Money Now - Yes on 89, by Sara Nichols, 10/17/06

Proposition 89 today releases a new ad, Stop The Pounding, in major media markets around the state. It will run in wide release through at least the end of the month. It was produced by Bill Hillsman of North Woods Media and can be viewed at www.89now.org/pounding  Full story

AARP-California Joins Other Leading Senior Groups to Endorse Proposition 89

Clean Money Now - Yes on 89, by Clean Money Now - Yes on 89, 10/9/06

AARP-California, which represents over 3 million seniors in the state, has joined other leading senior groups to endorse Proposition 89, a November initiative to stop political corruption.   Full story

United Teachers Los Angeles Endorses Prop. 89

Clean Money Now - Yes on 89, Press Release, 9/29/06

The United Teachers Los Angeles, the second-largest local teachers union in the country, Wednesday night endorsed Proposition 89, a November initiative that would reduce political corruption and establish a more level playing field in California elections. UTLA, with 44,000 members, is largest National Education Association local in the country and the largest union in Los Angeles County.   Full story

Proposition 89 Launches Latino Website to Reach this Important Segment of Voters in California

Clean Money Now - Yes on 89, Press Release, 9/28/06

Proposition 89 has launched the website www.Latinosfor89.org , which offers information in both English and Spanish and has video interviews with key Latino leaders like Dolores Huerta.  Full story

Clean Politician Imported From Out of State

Clean Money Now - Yes on 89, by Sara Nichols, 9/26/06

Public Campaign Action Fund and Common Cause, both national groups that work for campaign finance reform and Yes on 89, which supports California’s Proposition 89, the Clean Money and Fair Elections Act, imported a clean politician from Arizona and announced that more than 40 candidates running for congressional office in California have signed the Voters First Pledge  Full story

Grassroots Fuels Prop 89 By Giving $5 To Buck the System

Clean Money Now - Yes on 89, Press Release, 9/21/06

Fueled by disgust with the current system and unprecedented fundraising by big oil, big insurance and developers to swamp the airwaves with their perspective in the November election, grassroots outsiders of both parties are taking to the internet to raise five bucks at a time to support Proposition 89.   Full story

Sen. Barbara Boxer Endorses Proposition 89

Clean Money Now - Yes on 89, by Charles Idelson, 9/13/06

U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer today announced her endorsement of Proposition 89. "I've always believed that big special interest money in politics creates a system in which people lose faith in their government. Proposition 89 addresses this problem head-on. I urge a yes vote on Proposition 89," said Boxer.  Full story

Sierra Club Endorses Prop. 89

Clean Money Now - Yes on 89, by Sara Nichols, 9/11/06

If you want clean air and clean water, you need clean elections,” said Bill Magavern, senior advocate for Sierra Club California. “Proposition 89 will eliminate the corrupting influence of donors who want to weaken environmental laws by shifting power back to the voters who overwhelmingly support measures to ensure a healthy, safe, and clean environment,” continued Magavern.  Full story

National Latino Congreso Endorses Prop. 89

Clean Money Now - Yes on 89, by Sara Nichols, 9/10/06

By a unanimous vote the delegates of the National Latino Congreso endorsed Proposition 89, an initiative on the November ballot which would enact a broad system of public financing of political campaigns for all statewide offices.  Full story

National Latino Congreso Endorses Public Campaign Financing

Clean Money Now - Yes on 89, by Sara Nichols, 9/7/06

By a unanimous vote the delegates of the National Latino Congreso endorsed a resolution specifically calling for public financing of election campaigns in California. In so doing, the Congreso sets the stage for millions of California Latinos to embrace Proposition 89, an initiative on the November ballot which would enact a broad system of public financing of political campaigns for all statewide offices.  Full story

BUSTAMANTE ENDORSES PROP. 89 FOR CLEAN MONEY AND FAIR ELECTIONS

Press Release, by Lt. Governor Cruz Bustamente, 9/6/06

"Bustamante said he hopes voters recognize the value of Prop. 89 in bringing transparency to the inherent advantages enjoyed by billionaires seeking political office."  Full story

Big Business, Big Labor & Their Consultants Team Up To Kill Genuine Reform Of Special Interest Dominance in Sacramento-Prop

U.S. Newswire, by Jamie Court, Carmen Balber, 7/31/06

"Only a genuine campaign finance reform overhaul like Proposition 89 could force big labor and big business onto the same team because no cash-rich special interest will be able to buy the legislature if Prop 89 passes," said Jamie Court, president of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights (FTCR).  Full story

California Common Cause and the League of Women Voters of California Are Proud to Announce Their Support for Proposition 89

Press Release, Press Release, 7/26/06

California's two major good government organizations, the League of Women Voters of California and California Common Cause, joined a growing coalition of community-based organizations, and announced their endorsement today of Proposition 89, the Clean Money Initiative.  Full story

DirtyMoneyWatch.org Reveals Calif. Politicians' Dirty Secrets, Shows Need for Prop 89, The Clean Money & Fair Elections Act

CommonDreams.org, by Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, 7/19/06

The Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights (FTCR) today launched a new web site to expose cash register politics in California that the passage of campaign finance reform Proposition 89 will end: DirtyMoneyWatch.org  Full story

Consumer Federation of California Endorses Prop 89; Group Cites Corrosive Role of Big Business Money in Politics

Press Release, by Consumer Federation of California, 7/10/06

SACRAMENTO, Calif., July 10 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The Consumer Federation of California ( http://www.consumercal.org ) endorsed Proposition 89 (the "Clean Money" Initiative), citing the increasingly corrosive role corporate campaign contributions play in shaping public policy - benefiting the narrow interests of big business to the detriment of consumers.   Full story

Clean Money Initiative Qualifies for November Ballot

Press Release, by Assemblywoman Loni Hancock, 6/28/06

According to the Secretary of State, the initiative submitted by the California Nurses Association has garnered more than the 411,000 signatures needed to qualify for the November ballot.  As a result, Hancock announced she will drop her legislation so government reform groups can focus on the ballot measure.  Full story

Nurses to Scrub Clean the Beasts of Politics

Press Release, by the California Nurses Association, 4/7/06

Registered Nurses from the California Nurses Association will scrub clean a Republican elephant and a Democratic donkey at the Ronald Reagan State Building in downtown Los Angeles Tuesday, April 11, to launch a November ballot initiative campaign to end the corrupting influence of lobbyists and special interests over California politics.  Full story

Unlimited Campaign Spending Unfair to Communities of Color and the Poor, Charges Amicus Brief by Equal Justice Society

Press Release, by Equal Justice Society, 2/9/06

Arguing that the absence of campaign spending limits severely restricts access of minority and low-income communities to the political process, the Equal Justice Society on Wednesday filed an amicus curiae brief in the United States Supreme Court in Randall v. Sorrell.  The California Clean Money Campaign joined a number of other groups in filing the brief.  Full story

Democrats' Weekly Radio Address

Democrats\' Weekly Radio Address, by Speaker Fabian Nunez, 2/6/06

"This is Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez.... I was so proud that Democrats stood up and voted to clean up our election system with a new clean money bill...  Assembly Democrats believe that clean money for clean elections is an idea whose time has come..."  Full story

California Nurses to Sponsor Clean Money Initiative to Stem Corruption of Elections, Ballot Campaigns

Press Release, by California Nurses Association, 1/24/06

The California Nurses Association late Monday introduced a broad reform initiative to transform politics in California by providing for public financing of elections and tough restrictions on the corrupting influence of corporations, lobbyists, and other big money donors in candidate elections and ballot measure campaigns.  Full story

Abramoff Scandal and Calls For Reform

Public Campaign, by Nick Nyhart, 1/21/06

"... While lobbying reform is important, these proposals lack the crucial element needed to restore public confidence in our political system: addressing the pay-to-play campaign finance system that puts lobbyists and other special interests ahead of ordinary voters..."  Full story

Connecticut Assembly Passes Publicly Financed Elections For Assembly And State-Wide Races

Public Campaign, 12/1/05

"Voters won today and the Connecticut legislature made history when lawmakers approved full public financing of legislative and state-wide elections. Under this system, elected officials will be free to run without having to rely on lobbyist contributions or well heeled donors..."  Full story

Public Financing of State Elections Passes Assembly Committee

Common Cause, Press Release, 4/20/04

This afternoon the Califonia State Assembly passed a California Common Cause supported bill to enact full public financing of all state offices... Passed by a 5-2 vote of the Assembly Elections Committee, AB 2949 (Hancock-Berkeley) would place a measure on the ballot to create a voluntary system of full public financing for all legislative and statewide races.  Full story

Campaign Finance Reform Press Event

CALPIRG, by Steve Blackledge, 3/23/04

“To paraphrase an old saying, if it is broken, do fix it.  California's democracy is broken... A clean money system has worked in Arizona and Maine. California would do well to join those states and adopt public financing..."  Full story

Candidates Who Outraise Opponents Won 97.5% of the Time

The Rest of Us, Press Release, 3/23/04

In all but two Assembly districts and one Senate district, the candidate who raised more campaign funds than their opponent won the race in the November 2002 elections, according to preliminary* analysis done by TheRestofUs.org.  Full story

Schwarzenegger Shell Game

Press Release, by www.RecallMoneyWatch.com, 2/2/04

Governor Schwarzenegger has been raising and transferring funds at breakneck pace of late.  By raking in $1,727,766, the Governor's total take since his election shot from just over $4,090,230 to $5,817,996 since the last edition of this newsletter on January 27.   Full story

The Real Color of Money

Public Campaign, Press Release, 12/11/03

A new study, Color of Money 2003, shows a dramatic disparity between America’s diverse population and the small number of people who finance political campaigns: nine out of ten dollars contributed by individuals to federal campaigns and parties (of contributions more than $200) in the 2000 and 2002 elections come from majority non-Hispanic white zip codes, yet nearly one out of three Americans is a person of color.   Full story

Public Campaign Statement on Supreme Court's BCRA Decision

Press Release, by Public Campaign, 12/10/03

“We’re pleased that the Court upheld the substantial provisions of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA). Clearly, the Court believes money does not equal speech and that we can regulate the role of money in politics to enhance democracy. However, big money is still drowning the voices of average people in our electoral system..."  Full story

The Hightower Report

Austin Chronicle, by Jim Hightower, 11/28/03

"Pundits and other political cynics scoff at citizens' efforts to reform America's money-corrupted political process.... if the cynics would only lift their eyes from their myopic focus on Washington, they would see something big taking place in such diverse states as Maine and Arizona ... public financing of elections."  Full story



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