Posted on 03/20/2006 3:10:06 PM PST by calcowgirl
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. - Last year, Sen. John McCain urged his friend, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, to push for campaign finance reforms in California in 2006. But the governor has spent much of his time talking about building highways, levees and schools, not restraining the flow of campaign dollars.
On Monday, the Republican senator known for trying to slow runaway political spending in Congress was set to help the governor raise money for his re-election bid at a fundraiser with tickets priced up to $100,000.
The closed-door event was being hosted by donors among the entertainment and business elite, including "The Terminator" director James Cameron, Interscope Records chief Jimmy Iovine, Yahoo Inc. Chairman Terry Semel and Univision Communications Inc. Chairman A. Jerrold Perenchio.
Supporters were asked to kick in up to $100,000 for dinner, a private reception and photographs with Schwarzenegger. In some cases, the money will be divided with the state Republican Party, which can use the funds to support Schwarzenegger or run its statewide operations.
One of Schwarzenegger's most vocal critics, the California Nurses Association, planned a protest.
Last year, Schwarzenegger enlisted McCain to help campaign for his ballot proposals to slow state spending and weaken public union strength in Sacramento. The measures were defeated by voters in November.
At that time, McCain didn't fault the governor for the special interest money pouring into the election. Schwarzenegger "played by the rules of the game," McCain said.
But he said he urged the governor to pursue campaign-finance reform.
Schwarzenegger was elected in 2003 after promising to upend politics as usual in Sacramento. He's now recognized as one of the most prolific political fundraisers in state history. His campaign committees have banked millions of dollars from supporters with business and corporate ties.
The Democrats who want to replace him - state Controller Steve Westly and Treasurer Phil Angelides - were also busy fundraising, sometimes appealing to the same corporate and entertainment industry donors pursued by the governor.
What irony!
Let's not forget what McCain's other half (Senator Feingold) has been up to lately.
Seriously, the McCain-Feingold was one of the worst bill's ever put through Congress.
People want to give money to their political party. And if they can't give money to the actual party, then they'll give money to 527 groups like moveon.org
Not to mention First Amendemnt issues that McCain ignored while drafting his bill.
This New Majority of CA group sounds like a RINO version of George Soros types.
Somebody on FR had some kind of proof of Soros funding of "The New Majority" on here a few weeks ago. Do a search on Soros if you can stand the stench of raw sewage...
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