Campaign Finance

About 200 protesters rallied Wednesday outside the headquarters of the Los Angeles Times to protest a potential sale of the newspaper to the politically conservative Koch brothers. The rally was one of a dozen nationwide at media properties owned by Tribune Co., which is considering selling The Times and seven other daily newspapers after emerging from bankruptcy late last year. Activists are seeking to pressure Tribune not to sell the papers to Charles and David Koch, billionaire siblings who fund a range of conservative causes.

Dear Assemblymember Ridley-Thomas, We are pleased to support AB 700, the California DISCLOSE Act. If its intent is implemented, it will significantly strengthen disclosure requirements for ballot measure ads.

Dan Walters' suggestion to eliminate limits on how much money California elected officials can raise from special interests would weaken disclosure, increase the power of wealthy donors, and take us back to the days of huge campaign contributions that led to the recall of Gov. Gray Davis.