CA: Court Slaps Down Bustamante's Illegal Money Laundering to Smear Prop 54

Yes on Proposition 54 ^ | 09-22-03 | Diane Schachterle

[Alia]

PROP 54 CAMPAIGN CHAIR WARD CONNERLY APPLAUDS

SACRAMENTO, CALIF.--Thanks to state Senator Ross Johnson’s bold leadership, a ruling by a Sacramento County Superior Court judge today found Lieutenant Governor Cruz Bustamante in violation of the Political Reform Act. Senator Johnson filed a lawsuit asserting that Bustamante was violating state campaign finance laws when the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) failed to assert its authority to enforce the law. Senator Johnson was vindicated today, as the Court found Bustamante guilty of the most blatant violation of the Political Reform Act in California history. Ward Connerly, chairman of the Yes on Proposition 54 campaign, applauded the ruling.

The Court found that Bustamante had received campaign funds for his gubernatorial campaign in excess of mandated limits, and then illegally tried to evade the law by channeling those funds into a “No on Prop 54” campaign that produced ads starring the Lt. Governor. The Lt. Governor used over $4 million, donated by Indian tribe gambling interests, to hammer Prop 54 with misleading advertising before the Court’s order today to return the money to his gubernatorial campaign committee, and then to return it to its donors. Mr. Connerly released the following statement:

“Cruz Bustamante has been ordered to return every penny of his illegally transferred money to the committee that originally received the contributions, and then return it to its donors. By taking this money, Cruz Bustamante violated the legal command put in place by the people with the ratification of Proposition 34.

“This is the bare minimum he should have to do to address the harm that he has caused by his blatant disregard of campaign finance law. The Court also took the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) to task for its unclear and often conflicting advice and opinions regarding the interpretation and enforcement of the laws governing these inappropriate transfers. The Yes on Prop 54 campaign and its supporters are all too familiar with the FPPC’s selective enforcement tendencies. We applaud the court for doing the job of the FPPC in the absence of leadership in this agency.

“Cruz Bustamante has chosen to use Prop 54 as a vehicle to further his bid for Governor. One must wonder why he would choose to oppose a proposition that seeks to move this state forward to the color-blind ideal that America has been striving towards for so many years?

“Cruz Bustamante’s true motives are very clear. He favors preferences for some over equality for all. He favors segregated graduation ceremonies at the University of California. Cruz rejects the color-blind ideal that Prop 54 seeks to achieve in California, one of the nation’s most diverse populations.”

Prop 54 will bar the state and all local California governments from classifying individuals by race in the areas of public education, employment, contracting and most other government operations. Reasonable exemptions exist for medical research subjects and patients, racial classifications required by federal law or for federal funds and certain activities of law enforcement. The state legislature, by a two-thirds vote and with the governor’s approval, can vote to exempt any other reasonable area. Also, the Department of Fair Housing and Employment will receive a 10-year sun-setting exemption.

PROPOSITION 54, THE RACIAL PRIVACY INITIATIVE,P.O. Box 189113, Sacramento, CA 95818, (916) 444-2278, (916) 444-2279 fax, www.racialprivacy.org

Go to the following url to read the legal injunction: http://www.saccourt.com/geninfo/News_Media/Docs/Johnson%20v.%20Bustamante%20decision092203.PDF

[Alia]

(BIG Smile)

[ConservativeMan55]

Whoo-Hooo!

Next it will be McClintock's turn to slap down Bustemonte!

We can't trust Arnold!!!

[ConservativeMan55]

Ping for your interest!

[Enterprise]

Cruz - YOU LOSE! Now give the money back porky.

[ConservativeMan55]

Bump!

[ConservativeMan55]

Bump for McClintock!!!

[Alia]

Enterprise? That money has to go back to the "no on Davis, Yes on Bustamante" account. I don't think he's going to have to give it back to the Casinos.

If that is so.. IMHO, watch for lots and lots of "ads" featuring Davis by the Bustamante campaign. I'll wager they'll simply shift the focus, "sharing" campaign funds with Davis.

[Alia]

Quite frankly, I was suprised by the FPPC's ruling.

[ambrose]

I hope this ruling does not upset Arnold, since it is now more likely that Prop 54 will pass. As you know, only right wing crazies support Prop 54.

[EllaMinnow]

Cool - more money for the tribes to give McClintock!

[RS]

"Next it will be McClintock's turn to slap down Bustemonte! "

I guess now Mcclintock is the biggest receiver of Gambling money....

[DoctorZIn]

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[tophat9000]

only right wing crazies support Prop 54.

hey party at the nut house!

[Alia]

Now, now, Ambrose... I learned long ago to not give two-((*&S for whatever names anyone called me. What people call me does NOT define who I am. People who are horrified at being called names are usually given to championing hate crimes legislation. Just a word to the wise. I am an obvious 54 supporter. You bet I'm wild, wooly, and crazy! :)

[Roscoe]

As an opponent of a color-blind society, Arnold must be crushed at this setback for his ideological twin.

[RS]

"As an opponent of a color-blind society, Arnold must be crushed at this setback for his ideological twin."

Yeah- I'm sure he's just huddled up in a ball in the back of the closet sobbing - now that McClintock is the biggest taker of gambling money.

[Roscoe]

No, he'll just redouble his attacks on Ward Connerly's Proposition 54.

[CheneyChick]

~snicker~

[RS]

"No, he'll just redouble his attacks on Ward Connerly's Proposition 54."

Yeah - that's all you ever hear him talking about these days - No on 54 No on 54 Y'know... I think he might drop out so he can work full time against it - He can skip the debate in protest that anyone would even consider voting for it.

[BigBobber]

Well, isn't this ironic. McClintockians applauding a ruling that Tom's pals, the Indian Mafia, have to take back illegal campaign money.