The San Jose Mercury News reports today that the Gov’s campaign lawyer
and committee treasurer is leaning on the FPPC to trash those proposed
regulations which, not incidentally, would limit the now-unchecked flow
of cash into the governor’s labyrinth of ballot measure committees. Read the letter to the FPPC.

That voters, with the passage of Prop 34 in 2000, intended to limit the
amount of money politicians can raise from each donor seems fairly
clear: Prop 34 declares it intends to "minimize the potentially
corrupting influence and appearance of corruption caused by large
contributions by providing reasonable contribution and voluntary
expenditure limits."

Can anyone reasonably believe that a $250,000 donation by Ameriquest
Capital to one of Governor Schwarzenegger’s ballot measure committees
(not to mention the $150,000 more Ameriquest and its executives gave to
other Arnold-controlled committees, or the six-digit donations by other
special interests) does not exceed the "reasonable" contribution limits
intended by the voters? Apparently, the Governor — who said of special
interests "if you take money from them, you owe them something" — is
blind to the appearance of corruption when it infects his own house of
cards.

The FPPC is also in the midst of an investigation into Arnold’s money
shuffle between the multiple ballot measure committees to which he
raises unlimited funds. Considering the ongoing investigation, and the
Governor’s recent attempt to slash the FPPC’s budget by 15%, the
Governor would do best to sit this round out.