Bill To Reveal Big Money Behind California Campaign Ads Gets 2nd Look

SAN DIEGO (KCBS)— A Republican lawmaker is joining the drive to require greater disclosure of the largest donors for political campaign ads in California.

Last month, the California Disclose Act fell two votes short in the Assembly to amend the state political reform act. Now State Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher from San Diego is endorsing a newly introduced rewrite.

Trent Lange, of the California Clean Money Campaign, said the legislation would rip the mask off all the ballot measure and independent expenditure committees.

KCBS' Doug Sovern Reports:

"They make up names, like Stop Hidden PACs and the California Alliance for Jobs, that don't mean anything," he said, adding that they hide who's actually behind it paying for the ads.

The bill would force ads to list their three largest big-money backers. It would only apply to California races, but not federal super PACS airing ads in the state.

Lange said momentum is building for this kind of transparency.

"People really see the need for shining a bright spotlight on all that hidden money in campaigns," he said.

The California Chamber of Commerce helped defeat the last measure and will likely try stop this one too.

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