All posts filed under: Money out of Politics

Protest ALEC in San Diego [Video]

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The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) held its annual meeting in San Diego at the Grand Hyatt. Democrats, organized labor, community groups, and other allies rallied to make their voices heard. Funded by shadowy special interests, ALEC works to maximize corporate power and undermine democracy by providing “model legislation” for right-wing legislators. It seeks to block wage increases, disenfranchise voters, privatize schools and prisons, and deregulate firearms, to name just a few examples. San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer spoke at the event, sharing the stage with fringe Republicans like Scott Walker and Mike Huckabee. ALEC is not welcome in California! For an in-depth description of why this was a big deal, read Doug Porter’s column(s) The ALEC Annual Meeting in San Diego: Who’s Coming and Why?

Jul 22 – Action Alert: Protest ALEC in San Diego

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Get your protesting shoes ready, because we have a big one coming up. When Wednesday, July 22, starting at 3:00 p.m 3:00pm Union-sponsored Rally at Embarcadero Park North (just south of the hotel) (Public Restrooms are available here) 4:30pm Union March arrives at the Grand Hyatt Hotel; Gathering time. 5:00pm MAIN EVENT Rally begins at the Hyatt 6:00pm Launch tethered balloon banners (Not a “balloon release”) & Active Protest Events More events are being added all the time. Please check latest at Facebook “StopALEC Fest 2015” and RSVP Where Embarcadero Park North (400 Kettner Blvd) Transportation Public Trolley, Seaport Village Station (Green Line) is within a block of the hotel. Driving West on SR 94 — Take I-5 North and follow directions below for “North on I-5” North on I-5 — Exit 6th Ave. Left on 6th. Right on Ash Street. Left on Pacific Highway to Hyatt Hotel. South on I-5 — Exit Front St. Right on Ash Street. Left on Pacific Highway to Hyatt Hotel South on 163 — Exit Ash St. Left on …

Gretchen Newsom Gives Union Perspective on the TPP Trade Deal

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Gretchen Newsom of IBEW Local 569 discusses TPP Have you heard about the “TPP” and wondered why there is so much disagreement among Democrats, Labor and our President about it? Gretchen Newsom, Political Director of the IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers) Local 569 in San Diego spoke to our club members at our monthly meeting about the current trade deal with Asia currently under negotiation. To set the stage for common understanding, Gretchen explained why this is so important – this trade deal is the largest ever negotiated in global history, covering 40% of the global economy affecting 792 million people. She then unraveled the confusion around what the various acronyms such as TPP (Trans Pacific Partnership), TPA (Trade Promotion Authority) and TAA (Trade Adjustment Assistance) mean. Currently, the President and his representatives from the State Department are in negotiations with 12 other Asian countries on a far reaching trade deal, the “TPP”. The first item that Congress already passed a few weeks ago was “TPA” – this gives the President sole authority to…

Mar 8 – Clean Money Grassroots Summit in Los Angeles

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You’re Invited to the CLEAN MONEY GRASSROOTS SUMMIT When Sunday, Marcy 8 in Los Angeles (Culver City) Who’s spending millions of dollars paying for political ads to buy elections while hiding from voters? Last year, Clean Money activists like you and our allies helped pass two historic bills that shine a light on Dark Money and ballot measure spending in California and set an example for the nation, SB 27 (Correa) and SB 844 (Pavley). You also helped build a huge coalition for SB 52 (Leno-Hill), the California DISCLOSE Act, our bill to show voters who’s really behind political ads. It made it further than any such powerful bill has anywhere in the country. We’re coming back this year, because the fight against Dark Money and hidden spending on political ads has just begun. We’ll need to show a huge amount of grassroots support to win, so now’s the time to plan for our major push. That’s why we need you! Join our Southern California Grassroots Summit on March 8 California Clean Money Campaign grassroots …

Dark Money Contributors to Prop 32 Held Accountable for Money Laundering

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Late in the battle we fought against Proposition 32 last year, $15 million dollars was contributed to the Yes on 32 campaign in the final weeks before the election. The money was contributed by the Center to Protect Patient Rights and Americans for Responsible Leadership, two out-of-state non-profit organizations, neither of which disclosed the true source of any of the funds. Both groups have known ties to the Koch Brothers, multi-billionaires with a network of political organizations that funneled millions of dollars to ultra-conservative causes and candidates in the past. The day before the election, an operative linked to the Koch brothers admitted that he had laundered the money through the Koch network, but refused to disclose who specifically made the contributions. The No on 32 campaign took aggressive action to expose the true source of these unprecedented “dark money” contributions, leading to an investigation by the California’s Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) and the California Attorney General. With your help, they were able to defeat Proposition 32 on Election Day, but they kept the …