PorgressivesTraget Assemblymember Loni Hancock's Bill Public Financing Bill: unf

Progressives Target Assemblymember
Loni Hancock’s Public Financing Bill;
Will Protest at Her Office Monday

EL CERRITO – Assemblymember Loni Hancock (D) is coming under heavy fire to amend controversial public campaign financing legislation because it unfairly favors any major party candidate – even porn king Larry Flynt – over more legitimate candidates from smaller parties, say critics.

A major protest will be held Monday (5/17/04), at 12 Noon at Hancock’s El Cerrito office (712 El Cerrito Plaza) by progressive organizations opposed to the measure.

Known as the California Clean Money and Fair Elections Act of 2004, the bill authorizes candidates for state office to obtain public funds for their campaigns.

But, the Green Party of Richmond and El Cerrito, and members of the Richmond Progressive Alliance charged AB 2949 would discriminate against all but the GOP and Democratic parties, and would make the disparity between parties even larger.

“Her bill, if applied to the recall election, would have given Democrat Larry Flynt 5 times more matching funds than any third party candidate, including the Green Party’s Peter Camejo, who was said by many to have won the debates,” said a spokesperson for the alliance, which describes the measure as undemocratic and unfair.

Even the analysis of the legislation by the Assembly Elections, Redistricting and Constitutional Amendments Committee found the measure may have the “opposite effect” of making elections fairer because it restricts the amount of public funding for non-Republican or Democratic Party candidates by putting them in a different “category.”

The local Greens and members of the Richmond Progressive Alliance have met previously with Hancock’s staff, but the lawmaker refuses to amend the bill.