Nothing chills a stump speech like watching your political adversaries re-enact one of your party’s lowest moments — at least, that’s the idea supporters of campaign finance reform initiative Proposition 89 are banking on. This week, an actor portraying fallen lobbyist Jack Abramoff will be hot on the trail of First Lady Laura Bush as she puts in appearances on behalf of embattled Congressional Reps Richard Pombo of Tracy and John Doolittle of Rocklin — both of whom accepted money from Abramoff. At each campaign stop, the ersatz Abramoff will be dramatically arrested by … Batman. Well, someone called “Batman-89,” anyway. As the press release says: only in California. We’re sure the First Lady is going to love her brush with the Bay Area’s decidedly non-Beltway campaign tactics. The full press release after the jump.
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PRESS RELEASE/Photo Opportunity
November 1, 2006
Bush Events for Disgraced Congressmen Pombo & Doolittle to Feature Jack Abramoff
As First Lady Campaigns for National Symbols of Political Corruption, Abramoff’s Arrest To Be Re-enacted-Thursday, Friday
Proposition 89 Will Reform Campaign Finance, Reduce Political Corruption
First Lady Laura Bush and embattled Congressmen Pombo and Doolittle will
receive an unwanted reminder of their political corruption at upcoming
campaign stops in California: a visit from convicted Congressional briber
Jack Abramoff, whose arrest will be re-enacted (by an impersonator) to
dramatize the problem of political corruption and the need to pass a
statewide measure, Proposition 89, which will clean it up.
WHAT: Jack Abramoff Arrested Outside Bush-Doolittle Fundraiser
WHEN: Thursday, Nov. 2, 4:00 pm
WHERE: William Jessup University, 333 Sunset Blvd, Rocklin, CA
WHAT: Jack Abramoff Arrested Outside Bush-Pombo Fundraiser
WHEN: Friday, Nov. 3, 8 am
WHERE: 5959 Coronado Lane, Pleasanton, CA
Pombo and Doolittle are two of the Congressman most linked to the felon
Abramoff, having received hundreds of thousands of dollars between them from
Abramoff, his associates, his clients, and his law firm. Each supported
Abramoff with votes or efforts to win contracts-the kind of quid pro quo
voters want to get out of politics.
In an only-in-California twist, the arrest of Abramoff will be performed by
Batman-89 (the caped crusader against political corruption) a spokesperson
for the Proposition 89 campaign.
Proposition 89, The Clean Money and Fair Elections Act of 2006, changes the
broken system of campaign finance in this state that contributes to
widespread corruption in government. Proposition 89 places caps corporate
contributions to ballot measures at $10,000 per. Prop. 89 also completely
bans contributions from lobbyists and state contractors to candidates, and
sets up a system of “clean,” or public, financing for political campaigns
that will allow candidates to give up private fundraising. Prop. 89 contains
strong enforcement mechanisms, meaning that if politicians break the law,
they can end up in jail. Over 200 good government and reform groups has
already endorsed Prop. 89, including: the League of Women Voters of
California, AARP California, California Common Cause, The California Nurses
Association, the Sierra Club, and United Teachers Los Angeles.
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