Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Surprise, surprise! Don Wagner votes against campaign disclosure

Assembly fails to pass campaign disclosure bill (Santa Cruz Sentinel)
Wagner: opacity is good
     SACRAMENTO, Calif.—Lawmakers have rejected a campaign disclosure bill that would have required top donors to be identified in television, radio and print advertisements.
     The Assembly on Tuesday failed to pass AB1148, which fell two votes short of the two-thirds needed, 52-26.
     Democratic Assemblywoman Julia Brownley of Santa Monica said her bill would have demanded more transparency as special interests take advantage of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in the Citizens United case, which grants political speech rights to corporations.
Giving liberals the stink eye
     Republican Assemblyman Donald Wagner of Irvine said the bill would have taken the state in the wrong direction and driven campaign spending underground.
     The bill would have specified the size and color of printed disclosures, as well as the duration for which they must appear.
An Open Challenge to Disingenuous Don Wagner (OJ Blog)

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

That's our Don!

Anonymous said...

Actually, if you bothered to read the Assembly Bill (which I did) and watched the debate on the assembly floor (which I did)(see Calchannel), this issue is not as clear cut as this blog seems to imply. There could be a substantial 1st amendment issue with the way the bill is currently written. The bill may be well intentioned but may be poorly drafted and could raise constitutional issues with regards to over-breadth. It may go too far with limiting speech, even campaign speech. A little homework with regards to this bill was enough to raise a reasonable doubt with regards to the 1st amendment. However, I realize blogs like to sensationalize an issue rather than get into the details. Of course, this comment will be deleted because I disagree. Dissent shall not be tolerated on Dissent the Blog!

Roy Bauer said...

Dissent has been following Don's career since 1998. We know his record, and we know where he gets his campaign support. At this point, that Don voted against a bill is a pretty good sign that it's got a lot going for it, but Don's rich friends don't like it.

Roy Bauer said...

See Don Wagner: tool of corporate America

Anonymous said...

I agree. It is much easier to go with the sensational headlines rather than sit down read the bill and the legal analysis, and watch the debate on the assembly floor. Of course, bloggers don't have time to carefully consider the details/facts. I agree. Bloggers gotta go with whatever sensational headline will win the day. However, since I've read the bill and the legal analysis, and watched the debate, the headline doesn't align with the facts. I know. Who cares about facts in the blogosphere. This vote did not fall along party lines. I know who cares about facts! Sorry to burden your readers with such thing as reading before writing.

Roy Bauer said...

Relax, dude. You're over-reacting. All that I've done here is post an article, unedited, concerning a particular legislative action. My post's title suggests only that we are not surprised that Wagner voted against a bill that would have increased campaign disclosure. OK?

Anonymous said...

How would dislosure of monetary sources affect the First Amendment?

Not at all, of course. See which party doesn't like it, and you have a clear picture of what's going on.

Anonymous said...

That the problem with the sensationalism that occurs within the blogoshpere. Blogging is not about facts. I'd suggest you read the bill, listen to the debate on the assembly floor, and read the cases cited by the state legal analyst regarding the 1st Amendment issues and form your conclusion based on the facts. If you listen to the debate on the assembly floor, you will find that there were numerous Dems who voted against this bill on constitutional grounds which is why it failed. As you know, even if every Republican voted against the bill, it still would have passed because the Dems outnumber the Republicans in the assembly. But you know that basic fact, right? I'm surprised DtB hasn't followed the 1st amendment issues this bill raises. Of course, I'm not really surprised! I am surprised that folks rely on blogs like this to get their news.

Roy Bauer said...

Dude, you sound like some old fart complaining about these dang kids today and their new-fangled contraptions. Blogs do not generally claim to provide "the news"; only some do, but typically with an angle or attitude that is made explicit. You wouldn't know 'cause you're too busy polishing your spitoon and parking your horse and buggy in the barn.

Roy's obituary in LA Times and Register: "we were lucky to have you while we did"

  This ran in the Sunday December 24, 2023 edition of the Los Angeles Times and the Orange County Register : July 14, 1955 - November 20, 2...