Schwarzenegger supports ‘shareholder protection’ to limit corporate clout
By Anthony York
September 22nd, 2005)Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger says that he would support a ban on corporations using shareholder money for political purposes without the expressed written consent of company shareholders.
Schwarzenegger expressed his support for the idea Tuesday evening in an interview with Capitol Weekly.
The ban on such use of corporate dollars is similar to the governor’s call to stop the use of public employee union dues without written permission from union members. That measure, Proposition 75, was endorsed by the governor at the Republican state party convention this weekend, and will be on the special election ballot in November.
"It’s not right to force people to do that," he said when asked about the use of corporate money for political purposes without consent. "What’s good for the goose is good for the gander ... I support anything [that prohibits political spending] where people are not asked. People must be asked."
Supporters of the idea have already submitted a measure that would place those restrictions on corporate political activity to the attorney general’s office. The measure prohibits corporations from "making political contributions or expenditures for political activities except with shareholders’ prior informed consent by means of majority vote and reports to shareholders." The measure needs 373,000 signatures by the end of the year to qualify for the June 2006 ballot.
But the governor said he was not endorsing a specific proposal. "It’s all hypothetical, but I’m all for it across the board," he said.
Well, do you like that after indicating you don't care for alla his developer buddies and such bein his very special interest???