Passed 4/4/2011
WHEREAS the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision has unleashed hundreds of millions of dollars of anonymous corporate spending on political campaigns across California and the nation; and
WHEREAS misleading political advertising by big-money interests hiding behind good- sounding committee names and other organizations deceives voters into supporting candidates and ballot measures that they wouldn’t if they knew who was really behind them; and
WHEREAS disclosing the true funders of political ads on the ads themselves would let voters better decide whose messages to believe;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the California Democratic Party supports full disclosure, on the ads themselves, of the largest major funders of all political television, radio, print, slate mailer, and online advertising for ballot measures, independent expenditures, and issue advocacy, in a way that clearly and unambiguously identifies the largest major donor; and
THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be provided to the Governor and to members of the Democratic Caucus of the California Legislature and Congressional Delegation.