Privacy

Beware the Baby Profiteers;

August 20, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Who's to blame when an adoption fails? In this case, a greedy matchmaker eager for a quick 'sale.'</h3><p class="source">WEST Magazine (The Los Angeles Times)</p> <p>Adoptive parents often hire a facilitator or attorney to connect them to a potential birth mom. In California, anyone who obtains a business license and posts a $10,000 bond can call themselves a facilitator and collect a fee to make a "match," which is nothing more than a verbal commitment to proceed toward adoption. If a match fails, a facilitator can bring the same birth mom to another couple and collect yet again. Because the term "match" is so squishy, it's impossible to track results. </p>

Bat (89) Man Crashes Gov’s Big Cash Bash

August 18, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<font face="verdana,sans-serif" size="2">Political corruption needed a super solution last night when the Bat Signal lit up a fundraiser for Governor Schwarzenegger in Sacramento. Batman joined the California Nurses Association to...</font>

Trashing Clean Votes;

August 17, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Former attorney general John Van de Kamp says Santa Monica is trashing its anti-corruption bill</h3><p class="source">Los Angeles City Beat</p> <p>"They basically trashed Proposition LL and showed really utter disdain for campaign finance reform," said former Attorney General John Van de Kamp, who had urged Santa Monica officials to take a page from Pasadena's playbook. "I'm disappointed, because I always thought Santa Monica has been considered a relatively progressive community and they are, I think, turning backwards," he added.</p>

Santa Monica ‘Good Government Act’ approved by City Council for Nov. ballot exempts campaign contributions from law

August 17, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The Argonaut (Santa Monica, CA)</p> <p>"Santa Monica prides themselves on being forward-thinking and it's ironic that Pasadena, that doesn't necessarily have that reputation, is going forward with strong reform, while Santa Monica is trying to throw it overboard," said Carmen Balber, a consumer advocate for the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights.</p>

Their creed is to crash politicians’ fundraisers

August 17, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Sacramento Bee</p> <p>Sponsored by a group advocating a campaign finance measure on the Nov. 7 ballot, the "Dash for Cash" contest takes a reality TV-style approach to highlight the need for stricter contribution limits. The sponsor, the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights (FTCR), is giving away a pair of Sacramento Kings tickets to the person who can crash the most political fundraisers between now and the end of the legislative session Aug. 31. FTCR has even set up a mock Web station at <a href="http://www.channel89.org">www.Channel89.org</a> featuring a reporter interviewing lobbyists at fundraisers.</p>

Schwarzenegger Put Himself Up For Sale With Fred Sands

August 17, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<font face="verdana,sans-serif" size="2">Fred Sands, the big Los Angeles realtor, has a new listing. Arnold Schwarzenegger will be up for bid at Sands' Brentwood home today for a luncheon fundraiser today collecting $22,300 checks for...</font>

Donors Sustain Stem-Cell Effort In California Amid Funding Battle

August 16, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The Wall Street Journal</p> <p>Critics, however, consider it unseemly for a state agency to solicit private donations and worry that such contributions may bias funding decisions once CIRM begins to make grants to companies. "You don't normally have a state agency going around hat in hand, begging from people who potentially have a vested interest in the outcomes of what the agency is doing," says John Simpson, director of the stem-cell project at the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, a consumer group in Santa Monica, Calif.</p>

Sacramento’s orgy of bagels, cocktails and cash;

August 16, 2006  ·  Jamie Court

<h3>State leaders belly up to the bars and buffets for their annual, unseemly special-interest shakedown.</h3><p class="source">The Los Angeles Times</p> <p>The same special interests and lobbyists nibbling, sipping and twisting arms this week will be putting up big money to stop Proposition 89. Their ads will rev up fake outrage that any tax would pay for politicians' campaigns. What they won't mention is how the price of our gasoline, healthcare, housing and telephone bills is a lot higher when lobbyists do the paying.</p>

Sacramento’s orgy of bagels, cocktails and cash

August 16, 2006  ·  Jamie Court

<h3>State leaders belly up to the bars and buffets for their annual, unseemly special-interest shakedown.</h3><p class="source">The Los Angeles Times</p> <p>The same special interests and lobbyists nibbling, sipping and twisting arms this week will be putting up big money to stop Proposition 89. Their ads will rev up fake outrage that any tax would pay for politicians' campaigns. What they won't mention is how the price of our gasoline, healthcare, housing and telephone bills is a lot higher when lobbyists do the paying.</p>

Council Places Amendments to Anti-Corruption Initiative on Ballot

August 15, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The LookOut/SurfSantaMonica.com (Santa Monica, CA)</p> <p>"If you do place this on the ballot, we'll make sure the public knows this is a bait and switch, (replacing) true reform here in Santa Monica with a measure that would override the prevention of kick-backs," said Carmen Balber, consumer advocate for the Foundation for Consumers and Taxpayers Rights, which sponsored the initiative.</p>

Tandori Pork

August 14, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<font face="verdana,sans-serif" size="2">Governor Schwarzenegger announced recently he would be <a href="http://inhome.rediff.com/movies/2006/aug/14arnold.htm">leading a business delegation to India to drum up biz with California</a>. The...</font>

Bond-backers Kick Back to Arnold

August 11, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<font face="verdana,sans-serif" size="2">Schwarzenegger-controlled campaign committees have now raked in more than $96.7 million. Lately the construction and development industry has been sending over dump trucks full of cash to thank...</font>