Local Campaign Finance Reformers Join Arianna Huffington In Protest of Failed Political Syste

Campaign Finance Reform Campaign On-Going In 6 California Cities

Santa Monica, CA. — Angelenos working on campaign finance reform measures in Santa Monica and Pasadena joined columnist and author Arianna Huffington to throw ballot boxes full of “dirty money” into Santa Monica Bay off the Santa Monica Pier today. (The boxes were retrieved after the event).

The Santa Monica based Oaks Project is currently in the fifth week of a five month all volunteer signature drive to place campaign finance reform initiatives on the ballot in 6 California cities: Santa Monica, San Francisco, Pasadena, Claremont, Irvine and Vista. The Oaks Project is a volunteer-based project of the non-profit, non-partisan Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights

“Our political system is broken and cannot be fixed by the people who profit from it. Politicians pay lip service to the concerns of common Americans during election years, but cater to the desires of their donors once in office,” said Arianna Huffington, author of How to Overthrow the Government, a manual for the people to take back the political system. The book is published by Regan Books/HarperCollins.

This is the second in a series of Tea Parties being held around the country to get people active in politics. The first event was held in Boston at the site of the original Boston Tea Party. The book and the website overthrowthegov.com provide the tools necessary for activism, including posters and flyers.

“Big money has today’s politicians wrapped around their fingers. Reform will not come from the government or from corporate interests. It must originate from average citizens,” says Bill Gallagher, director of the Oaks Project.

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