February 18, 2004Back to the table of Contents Page
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Palo Alto Online
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Publication Date: Wednesday, February 18, 2004
'Soft' dollars can cushion campaigns
'Soft' dollars can cushion campaigns
(February 18, 2004)As Ted Lempert and Joe Simitian begin their final push toward the March primary, the two are turning to their war chests to wage a hard-fought battle.
Lempert has made much of his determination to stand by Proposition 34, which established a voluntary campaign spending limit of $637,000. Simitian, saying he doesn't want to deny himself resources against a tough opponent, has declined to abide by such limits. As of Jan. 17, he had raised $731,000.
But Lempert is benefiting from funds that don't fall under Proposition 34's guidelines. Known as independent expenditures, or "soft" money, those donations are spent by special interests and not controlled by a candidate.
There is a large, red-and-white billboard on Highway 101 near Belmont that proclaims "Physicians and Dentists Support Ted Lempert for State Senate." The billboard cost $28,000, funds spent on behalf of Lempert by the California Medical Association.
Another campaign committee called Northern Californians for a Strong Economy reported $149,000 in expenditures on behalf of Lempert for television ads. A phone number for the committee belonged to an aide to Jack O'Connell, the state superintendent of public instruction and a longtime friend of Lempert's.
A major contributor to those ads was Arkansas billionaire John Walton, son
of Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton. Lempert authored a school vouchers bill while
in the Assembly. Walton's donation totaled $31,250.
As the Weekly went to press, no "soft money" contributions had been recorded on Simitian's behalf.
--Don Kazak
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