INITIATIVE WOULD MAKE STATE LEGISLATORS WEAR THEIR DONORS’ NAMES

By Miriam Raftery

March 22, 2016 (San Diego's East County) - What if politicians in California had to wear NASCAR-style stickers emblazoned with the logos of their campaign contributors? 

If Jon Cox, a San Diego conservative, gets his way—it could happen. 

Cox is bankrolling a million dollar effort to get an initiative onto the November ballot that would force state legislators to wear the names of their largest donors whenever they are voting on the Senate or Assembly floor, in committees, or in subcommittees.

The measure gives new meaning to full disclosure. Just imagine, instead of cumbersome record searches to learn if your legislators are beholden to, say, big energy, insurance or tobacco corporations, labor unions or other special interests, spectators in Sacramento could simply look at the names their elected officials are wearing.

Cox predicts broad public support for the measure, which he believes could help reduce corruption by making legislators less eager to pocket hefty donations and then vote to support their donors’ interests, instead of the public interest.