LAT: Stage Set for Fundraising Free-for-All

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Stage Set for Fundraising Free-for-All

California congressmen can now raise unlimited amounts to oppose the governor's redistricting measure. There are national implications.
By Nancy Vogel and Michael Finnegan
Times Staff Writers

August 19, 2005

SACRAMENTO — The Federal Election Commission ruled Thursday that members of Congress are free to raise unlimited sums to support or oppose California ballot measures — a potentially serious blow to one of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's key initiatives.

The ruling is likely to intensify the expected flood of campaign advertising aimed at California voters this fall. Schwarzenegger already has the right to raise unlimited amounts for his ballot measures and plans to spend millions of dollars promoting three of them.

The ruling clears the way for a bipartisan group of congressmen, led by Reps. Howard L. Berman (D-Valley Village) and John T. Doolittle (R-Roseville), to raise and spend large sums opposing one of those measures: Proposition 77, which would change the way that congressional and state legislative districts are drawn. The ballot measure would take away the Legislature's authority to draw the boundaries of legislative districts and give the power to a panel of retired judges.

The FEC ruling opens what could become a big hole in the federal law that limits campaign money. Depending on how aggressively lawmakers decide to exploit that opening, interest-group money could begin pouring into the state not only on the redistricting fight, but also on other high-profile issues voters will face in November, including parental notification for minors' abortions, political activities of unions and restraints on state spending.

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Times staff writer Joel Havemann contributed to this report.


http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-redistrict19aug19,1,3847262.story?coll=la-headlines-california