Political Corruption in Orange County

By Eddie Rose

Isn't it time we get special interst money out of politics? Isn't it time we elect honest and competent individuals to represent us? Isn't it time we have someone on the Orange County Board of Supervisors we can trust?

But worse yet, it's the most blatant example of a conflict-of-interest, when a group of elected officials can decide to put special interest money in their own pockets and then use that same money to further their own political careers. Meanwhile, the public gets shortchanged, because these same elected officials are now even more indebted to their special interest benefactors.

Clearly, when someone gives you big bucks for your political campaign, it's not because they like your looks--IT'S BECAUSE THEY WANT SOMETHING IN RETURN! Major campaign contributions typically come from big businesses or corporations (and/or their political action committees or PACs) who either presently have or are about to bid on a contract with the governmental body run by these same elected officials.

In turn, campaign contributions pay for fancy, expensive, and largely untruthful political mailers which, unfortunately in many cases, is what the voter relies upon when he or she goes to the polls. Thus, a relatively small number of powerful, moneyed interests can exert a disproportionate influence on elections, to the detriment of the public interest.

Orange County is by no means the only corrupt governmental entity, however. Both state and national politics are awash with special interest money. Dirty money, laundered money, you name it. With few notable exceptions, elected officials at all levels of government are more concerned with fundraising than they are with representing the people.

This is why I am supporting the CA Clean initiative (http://www.CAclean.org) this year. It is the first real step toward public financing of political campaigns, thus negating the influence of powerful special interests in politics and creating a more level playing field. I also support Assembly Bill AB 583, the California Clean Money and Fair Elections Act, which passed the California State Assembly on January 30. I urge the California State Senate to also support AB 583.

Isn't it time we get special interest money out of politics? Isn't it time we elect honest and competent individuals to represent us? Isn't it time we have someone on the Orange County Board of Supervisors we can trust?