Schwarzenegger Woos the Special Interests
Letter to the Editor
When I read "1st Benefit Is Set for New Gov." (Nov. 4) I
was appalled by the spin and outright lies put forward by
Gov.-elect Arnold Schwarzenegger and his spokesman, Rob
Stutzman. First the candidate lied by stating he would take
no special-interest money, then he did exactly that. Now
Stutzman tells us that "voters know they have sent a man to
Sacramento who cannot be bought" while that man is busy
selling access for dollars to repay the $4.5 million in
low-interest loans he used to bombard us with television
advertising.
If the independently wealthy, well-funded and famous
Schwarzenegger has to borrow millions to run for governor,
what chance does an ordinary, idealistic candidate have?
Some call it fund-raising, but I call it bribery on
layaway. We need public financing of elections, as in Maine
and Arizona, which has increased voter participation and
candidate diversity in state elections. Clean-money
candidates don't owe anyone except voters and the thousands
of people who gave $5 to get their candidate qualified for
public financing. Do you think Schwarzenegger feels he owes
favors to those who give him $21,200 a pop? You bet!
Nick Gleiter
Sherman Oaks
See the article on Los Angeles Times website
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