This Thursday, I’m hosting a forum on Campaign Finance Reform in City Hall Chambers beginning at 8 a.m. I have a fantastic lineup of guests, including Kathy Feng, Common Cause; Ron Kaye , RonKayeLA; Bob Stern, Center for Governmental Studies; Xandra Kayden , League of Women Voters; LeeAnn Pelham , L.A. City Ethics Commission; James Sutton , Campaign Lawyers; and Trent Lange, California Clean Money Campaign.
With a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling allowing corporations to donate campaign funds to specific candidates causing the City of L.A. to change its own campaign rules, I expect the conversation to be spirited, lively and certainly informative. I’ve long had an interest in looking at what if anything we can do at the City level to implement a better campaign finance system that limits the influence of special interest and allows more candidates the opportunity to run for elected office regardless of financial status or backing.
You can listen to an interview I did with Off the Presses recently discussing this topic. (below).