Are you going to let out-of-state special interests hijack our election?

It’s happening right now. The No on Prop 28 campaign is being funded by shadowy out-of-state special interests that want to protect a broken status quo and stop Californians from fixing our term limits law.

Maplight.org reported yesterday that 98% of the No on Prop 28 donations come from outside California. Now these out-of-state special interests are using a flood of last minute spending to hijack our election, trying to rob us of the chance to fix our broken status quo.

They know Prop 28 will help make legislators more accountable to us, not the special interests. That’s why they are making a last-ditch effort to preserve a broken system that only benefits lobbyists.

California Watch reported the No on Prop 28 campaign is being funded by a Virginia-based PAC that refuses to disclose it donors and another New York-based real estate developer accused of using an intricate web of tax-exempt groups to push his political agenda.

Take a closer look at the No on Prop 28 campaign’s shadowy, out-of-state supporters:

Howie Rich – a New York-based real estate developer who “has long used tax-exempt groups to promote his favored candidates and political beliefs,” a practice that has been “criticized as opaque and deceptive.” (San Francisco Chronicle, October 5, 2006)

Liberty Initiative Fund – a Virginia-based tax-exempt non-profit  that is hiding its donors from scrutiny. When asked directly to disclose its funders, Liberty Initiative Fund head Paul Jacobs “declined to identify the organization’s donors.” (California Watch, May 23, 2012)

National Taxpayers Union – a Virginia-based tax-exempt non-profit that refuses to disclose its donors.

Americans for Prosperity – another Virginia-based tax-exempt non-profit that has been called a special-interest front group run by the oil billionaire Koch brothers.

What is the No on 28 campaign hiding?

Californians for a Fresh Start has fully disclosed its supporters. Voters can plainly see Prop 28 is backed by a broad-based coalition led by the League of Women Voters of California, California Common Cause and business and labor groups.

They support Prop 28 because the current term limits law has created a broken status quo where legislators constantly focus on politics instead of policy. Prop 28 addresses this by reducing time in office from 14 to 12 years, making legislators more accountable and closing the “17-year” loophole.

Don’t let these shadowy out-of-state special interests hijack our election.  They are trying to protect a broken system and stop Californians from making our term limits law more effective.

On June 5th, send the special interests a message and vote YES on Prop 28.

For more information visit www.cafreshstart.com and follow Californians for a Fresh Start on twitter @cafreshstart

Kathay Feng is executive director of California Common Cause, a non-profit, non-partisan citizens’ lobby organization