By Lia Russell and Andrew Graham, SACRAMENTO BEE
https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article315629343.html
The ads from both sides describe an unscrupulous, moneyed and ruthless entity preying on people at their most vulnerable moments.
On one side are warnings of “predatory billboard lawyers who descended like vultures,” after natural and manmade disasters, illegally siphoned off settlement dollars and left car crash victims with medical debt but no settlement money. Those ads are paid for by the ride-hailing company Uber.
One the other side, ads with a similar aesthetic remind voters of a New York Times investigation that found Uber received a report of sexual assault or misconduct in its rideshares every eight minutes between 2017 and 2022 but delayed implementing safety measures.
“Now Uber is taking it one step further,” the ad voiceover intones, “trying to stop car crash victims from holding them accountable.”
Welcome to one of the most expensive ballot fights this election cycle. Uber, a perennial, prolific political spender, seeks to kneecap a longtime foe, the Consumer Attorneys of California, through a measure that would limit the fees attorneys can collect in car crash cases.
Legal experts warn the measure could have far-reaching consequences for the state’s civil court system, hitting not just attorney pocketbooks but denting courtroom access for people who are injured in accidents and don’t have the money to pay a lawyer up front.
Still, Uber might have the money to push its measure through. The company has spent more than $25 million this year on its campaign, according to campaign finance filings, with much more to come. Last month, the company dumped another $45 million into its campaign account. Campaign officials cited spending well above $25 million, citing $28 million in television ad buys alone.
Trial attorneys are, so far, spending almost as heavily, though it’s unclear how long they’ll be able to compete with the rideshare giant. The Alliance Against Corporate Abuse, a PAC the Consumer Attorneys of California created to fight Uber, reported spending $20 million so far this year with another $47 million on hand as of mid-April.
The group dropped two previous ballot measures that would have protected people’s right to hire legal counsel and increased Uber’s liability for injured passengers. A spokesperson told Politico that the group wanted to focus its resources on “beating Uber.”
In a statement, Uber ballot initiative spokesperson Nathan Click categorized the effort as “flailing,” and said the company wasn’t “going to let up an inch.”
“Spending $25 million of your donors’ money on a measure that didn’t qualify is political malpractice,” he said.
