The Mercury News: Court upholds California’s anti-pay-to-play law barring votes benefiting campaign contributors

05.26.2023 / By JASON HENRY
The Mercury News: Court upholds California’s anti-pay-to-play law barring votes benefiting campaign contributors

The law was backed by the good governance organization California Common Cause, which described it as “a common sense and long overdue pro-democracy reform” that already exists in other states and in certain California cities. Striking down the law would go against the “will of the people,” said Jonathan Mehta Stein, executive director of California Common Cause. “This law protects Californians from the pay-to-play corruption and the appearance of corruption that plagues our cities and counties, and helps to restore faith in our leaders and our government,” he said.

SB 1439 passed unanimously in the Legislature in 2022 and did not have any opposition at the time. The law was backed by the good governance organization California Common Cause, which described it as “a common sense and long overdue pro-democracy reform” that already exists in other states and in certain California cities.

Striking down the law would go against the “will of the people,” said Jonathan Mehta Stein, executive director of California Common Cause.

“This law protects Californians from the pay-to-play corruption and the appearance of corruption that plagues our cities and counties, and helps to restore faith in our leaders and our government,” he said.

 

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