End To Pay-To-Play Appointments In Legislature

Media Contact:

May 17, 2013

Phillip Ung (916) 520-4070

pung@commoncause.org

California Common Cause Calls for End to Pay-to-Play Appointments in Legislature; Propose Solutions

Sacramento, CA – This morning, California Common Cause proposed solutions to end the pay-to-play appointments in the California Assembly and reduce the influence of money in politics. Below is a statement from Phillip Ung, policy advocate for California Common Cause:

“The Center of Investigative Reporting published an in-depth story on how Assembly Committee chairmanships and leadership posts were handed out to members as a reward for meeting fundraising quotas and sending money to highly contested races.

The public’s trust in the Legislature is shattered when money means more than merit, when fundraising means more than experience, and when chairmanships are sold to the highest bidder.”

Today, California Common Cause is calling for an end to the pay-to-play appointments in the California Assembly and proposes the following solutions:

1. Adopt a seniority system for Committee chairmanships which removes the pay-to-play appointment system and allows committee members to gain needed experience prior to being Chair.

2. Close the “soft money” loophole that allows individuals and PACs to give unlimited amounts of money to state political parties.

3. Adopt public financing for state officials to end the focus on fundraising and end the influence of special interests; allow officials to focus on the public’s interest.