Gov. Wins Initiative Fundraising Case

[Freddie Stubbs]

A preliminary ruling lets Schwarzenegger raise unlimited money to push ballot measures

By Robert Salladay, Times Staff Writer


SACRAMENTO — California politicians can raise unlimited amounts of money to promote ballot initiatives, a judge said Wednesday, handing Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger a significant victory as he promotes his political agenda this year.

In a preliminary ruling, Sacramento Superior Court Judge Shelleyanne Chang said forcing Schwarzenegger to abide by fundraising limits for initiatives would unfairly trample on his right to free speech and would not subdue "the demons" of political corruption.

If Chang sticks with her initial ruling after a hearing scheduled for today, she will significantly alter Proposition 34, the initiative voters passed resoundingly in 2000 to reduce the influence of money in politics.

Last month Schwarzenegger, Citizens to Save California and other groups promoting initiatives sued the Fair Political Practices Commission, the agency that enforces state campaign laws. They asked Chang to overturn a regulation prohibiting politicians from "controlling" initiative groups that raise unlimited amounts of money from donors.

more: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-lawsuit24mar24,1,1891419.story

FWIW, Judge Chang was appointed by Gray Davis.

http://www.abanet.org/minorities/publications/gossip/0309.html