Add the Los Angeles Times to the growing list of major national media outlets informing Americans of the behind-the-scenes involvement of Howie Rich of New York City in the ballot measures of several states this year, and add "entrepreneur" to the growing list of his descriptors. Add, too, "character assassination" to the list of malefactions proclaimed by Rich to the reporters doing their work. Given the givens, surely someone doth protest too much. Rich isn't hogging the so-called Taxpayer Bill of Rights coverage tonight, however; a host of his ideological lieutenants collect their own shares: Laird Maxwell with a shockingly impolitic announcement in Idaho, Trevis Butcher for his "fishing expedition" in Montana, and Mike Groene of Nebraska's "Stuff on a Shingle" initiative. (I'm not making it up.) And of course, there's Maine and its steady drip-drip of TABOR opposition resolutions.
"It is appalling that a New Yorker would take it upon himself to set the political agenda in California," says John Echeverria to reporter Tim Reiterman. Echeverria is executive director of the Georgetown Environmental Law and Policy Institute in Washington, D.C., and he refers to Howie Rich. Reiterman tells us "records show that the lion's share of $3.7 million raised has been donated by nonprofits associated with Manhattan real estate entrepreneur Howard S. Rich, an advocate of smaller government."
Sadly, Reiterman got the same treatment given to other major media reporters this season, including the Washington Post, the New York Times and the San Francisco Chronicle - a non-interview by email - which is more than PBS NOW reporter Maria Hinojosa got last month. Writing here http://www.latimes.com/... Reiterman explains, "In e-mails, Rich declined to be interviewed but defended Proposition 90 fundraising. `Those opposed to Proposition 90 know they're stepping on basic constitutional principles.... Like any group in power that wants to keep it, they have attempted to confuse the issue, attack the messenger and engage in character assassination'."
So, in the absence of any real give-and-take with the man himself, Reiterman was left to his own devices, collecting perspectives where he could find them. "Apart from disputes over the particulars, much of the Proposition 90 debate has focused on funding by out-of-state groups connected to Rich," he writes. "Unable to move reforms in the Legislature, state Assemblywoman Mimi Walters (R-Laguna Niguel) said she launched Proposition 90 this year along with Rich, whom she had met in political circles. `This issue is important ... to all Americans,' she said. `And I do not think it matters as much about where the money comes from as getting out word to Californians'."
Funny how Rich's friends in New England are scuttling that very point-of-view right now...
"Although Proposition 90 officials said about 6,000 people have made small donations in recent months, they acknowledged that most of the campaign's big ones were arranged by Rich, a onetime Libertarian Party activist who owns a plumbing company and numerous properties in New York," Reiterman goes on.
"The Fund for Democracy, which sponsored the measure and which Rich heads, donated $1.5 million. Chicago-based Americans for Limited Government, of which Rich is board chairman, gave $1 million. And Club for Growth State Action, a Chicago group on which Rich serves on the leadership council, gave $220,000. (Unlike candidate contests, there are no spending limits for California initiatives.)
"An additional $600,000 came from Montanans in Action, which has largely financed three Nov. 7 initiatives in that state. All were tossed out recently by a judge who concluded that paid, out-of-state signature collectors engaged in fraud -- but backers are appealing."
Reiterman DOES get Trevis Butcher of Montana to talk, and Butcher says "he does not know Rich or recall whether Rich's Fund for Democracy gave money to Montanans in Action," which is laughable. As treasurer of his one-man operation, Butcher is the ONLY one who would know that, and it's likely he'd remember that check, heh heh. "The Montana initiatives, however, reported almost $25,000 in loans from Americans for Limited Government," Reiterman says.
Rich's most recent locutor, John Tillman, "did not respond to requests to discuss its political contributions." (Which begs the question anew, Whatever happened to poor Heather Wilhelm? Was it the letter to the editor that sunk her status as potent quotable?)
Reiterman picks through July's news from Montana: "Butcher contends that campaign law does not require disclosure of the sources of money that went through Montanans in Action to his initiatives. But attorney Jonathan Motl recently filed a complaint with that state's political watchdog, alleging laundering of contributions. `It is critical that the true donor be disclosed so the public can judge exactly who is [behind] this campaign'," Motl tells him.
Hey, here's an angle to consider: "Officials from California's Fair Political Practices Commission declined to comment on whether Montanans in Action is required to report its donors in this state. But in general, out-of-state groups must name them only if the donors had reason to believe that their money was destined for California. The Fund for Democracy contributed more than $230,000 to an Idaho initiative that is similar to California's."
"They are looking to help guys like me," he learns from Laird Maxwell, a longtime property rights activist who heads the campaign.
O, Laird.
Laird, it boggles the mind.
You initiate a ballot measure destined to cost taxpayers untold millions if it's adopted, and less than a month before Election Day, you announce that you're ditching those same taxpayers to fend for themselves against your proposal as soon as the polls close.
Yes, constant reader, Laird Maxwell is leaving his own private Idaho for warmer winters in Phoenix. He tells reporter Shea Andersen here http://www.boiseweekly.com/... that "Idaho's gone liberal."
One wonders whether Andersen was able to hold her composure at this assertion. She grants to those looking for a veneer of reason this allowance: "His reasons have to do with matters of the heart. First, with his relationship with his new wife, who lives in Arizona with her three children, and second, with what he says is the changing nature of his home state."
Of course, any intelligent "takings" opponent with a pulse would be all over this abdication, and Andersen says they are: "His impending departure was pounced upon by a new group that has formed to oppose the measure."
"Proposition 2 is going to harm Idaho counties, cost Idaho taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars, and Laird Maxwell doesn't even care because he's not even going to be in this state any more," she quotes Justin Hayes, a spokesman for Neighbors Protecting Idaho, a new group that includes Tom Dale, Mayor of Nampa. Hayes regularly works for the Idaho Conservation League, but has taken a leave of absence to work on the anti-Proposition 2 initiative.
"Facts are stubborn things," Maxwell tells her. I agree, and have said the same thing here. A reasonable reader might imagine that the facts that Idaho's outgoing Governor Jim Risch doesn't support the idea, the Democratic gubernatorial nominee Jerry Brady is against it, and that Brady's Republican opponent Butch Otter will vote against it, may have contributed to his decision.
Sadly, Maxwell may leave his present fellow Idahoans another mess to manage and a $70,000 bill to pay. Reporter Megan Thomas tells us here http://www.mtexpress.com/... that Maxwell's fishing expedition through public employees' email conversations could take a year to resolve.
"It would take one person a year to find the information they were looking for," she learns from Jerry Hutchins, Blaine County School District director of technology.
She explains that "as the district's technology expert, Hutchins was assigned to estimate the cost of furnishing the records. The district responded to Maxwell's request with an expense estimate for associated costs, which include costs of photocopying documents and labor rates for retrieving digitized information. An additional full-time employee would be hired to do the work." But Maxwell, surprise-surprise, "demands that the district waive associated fees."
That means, constant reader, that the taxpayers of Blaine County would be stuck with Maxwell's $70,000 bill. And Maxwell sounds downright proud of his deed: "So far they have the Idaho record (for how much money it would cost to produce the requested documents). It's a bogus number designed to keep their records closed and to thwart open government," he tells Thomas.
Maxwell's counterpart in Montana, Trevis Butcher, is pulling a similar stunt. And though the letters to Montana school districts and municipalities has Butcher's signature at the bottom, he shifts the blame to Paul Jacob, Howie Rich's brother-in-law and head of Citizens in Charge, a group based outside Washington, D.C. "It's part of a national research project," Butcher tells reporter Paul Peters here http://www.missoulanews.com/....
"Butcher says the information requests are designed to uncover if and how public employees are using public computer and e-mail systems for political campaigning by the employees and their unions. Such use is illegal in Montana. Butcher claims his requests are unrelated to the ballot initiatives," Peter writes. O, sure it is.
Peters doesn't buy it either, and he digs into Jacob: "Jacob is not only the president of Citizens in Charge, but also a `senior fellow' with Americans for Limited Government (ALG) according to the ALG's website. Eric O'Keefe, a board member for Citizens in Charge, is also a board member for ALG. ALG has provided nearly all funds supporting various groups across the west that have pushed initiatives similar to those advocated by Butcher. The chairman of ALG is libertarian activist and wealthy New Yorker Howard Rich. Finding out where ALG gets its money is difficult, if not impossible, as the group is registered as a 501c(4) nonprofit, a designation that allows it to avoid disclosing its funding sources."
Whew.
"There has been much speculation that ALG has been funding Trevis Butcher's group, Montanans In Action, and Rich has admitted to High Country News that he gave $200,000 to the group," he adds. "So far, the e-mail and policy requests have gone out to six other states: Arizona, Idaho, Michigan, Nebraska, Nevada and Oregon. All of these states saw recent petition drives for ballot measures similar to Montana's."
Funny thing.
Meanwhile, Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction Linda McCulloch "is worried about the burden that processing the requests places on Montana school districts," Peters says.
"When people from New York are behind this," they don't realize how small Montana school districts are, and how few people they have to process such requests," she tells him.
"Jacob says that processing and posting Citizens in Charge's finding will take years, and so will probably not exert any influence on this year's election," Peters notes. "Rather, Jacob and whoever he works for, have taken up a long-term strategy, suggesting that whatever the Supreme Court decides about the Montana initiatives, we haven't heard the last of them."
From America's heartland comes one of the brightest summaries of Howie Rich's operation in some weeks. Writer Keith Blackledge tells us here http://nebraska.statepaper.com/... he's found a new application for the acronym "SOS."
"Although we disagree on a lot of things, I was giving Mike Groene credit for a smart marketing idea in choosing a name for the `Stop Over Spending' petition campaign.
Then I found out the same clever name was being used for similar campaigns in other states, campaigns backed by the same people who pumped big money into the Nebraska petition drive. S.O.S., some readers may remember, is the Morse Code distress signal. It was meant in this case to suggest there is an easy solution for citizen distress about government spending and taxes. On the other hand, some of us who have eaten in military mess halls will remember S.O.S. also was shorthand for `Stuff on a Shingle.'
"Stop Over Spending is `stuff.' It gives us Initiative 423 on the November ballot and it is a recipe that will prove even more disappointing than the despised mess-hall stuff on a shingle - mystery meat in greasy gravy over toast. S.O.S. was the name supporters gave to a similar petition campaign in Montana. The Stop Over Spending initiative there was invalidated by a district court which concluded that signature-gathering activities were fraudulent. The decision is being appealed.
"In Nebraska, the petitions have passed a legal challenge and 423 will be on the ballot. Almost all the money for the Nebraska campaign came from `America At Its Best,' headquartered in an attorney's office in Kalispell, Montana. That organization is funded by "Americans for Limited Government," which is headed by New York real estate magnate Howard "Howie" Rich.
"If you have trouble following that, you are not alone. It's confusing, and perhaps it is intended to be. Groups associated with Rich have poured nearly $7 million dollars into initiatives in 12 states this year. We are one in that dozen.
"Nebraskans, not Howie Rich, will live with the consequences of Initiative 423. The details will be worked out by the same Legislature (with some new faces, of course) that put this year's budget together, and the ones before that. The average taxpayer, who has plenty of other things on his or her mind, may not remember what happened in past periods of pinched state budgets. Guess who gets hit first? The University of Nebraska will reduce spending for programs at its North Platte and Scottsbluff stations, as it did the last time state budgets were tight.
"Many taxpayers think a blow against one tax is a blow against all. Not so. The easiest way for state government to reduce state spending is to send less of its sales and income tax revenue to cities, counties and school districts. That means more pressure on property taxes. That doesn't worry Howie Rich and his wealthy New York friends, but it will be a serious disappointment to many Nebraska home owners.
"A little caution by voters on November 7 could save us from a steady diet of "stuff" that won't taste nearly as good as the cooks try to make it sound."
Boy, the business community of Oregon is unambiguous in its opposition to Howie Rich's TABOR there. Reporter Colin Fogarty reports here http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/... that "business leaders threw their weight behind a campaign to defeat Ballot Measures 41 and 48" this week.
Fogarty quotes "representatives of the three most prominent business organizations in the state:"
"Jay Clemens, with Associated Oregon Industries, represents 20,000 companies: `We believe that the business community of this state requires public services and infrastructure [in order for Oregon] to be a competitive state in this region and in our country.'
"Lynn Lundquist with the Oregon Business Association: `It's working backwards. Think of it this way: We're in good times. We're moving forward. These will put us in reverse.'
The Associated Press reports similarly here http://portland.bizjournals.com/... saying "Associated Oregon Industries, the Oregon Business Association and the Oregon Business Council are working together to defeat the measures."
"Measure 48 would insert a flawed formula into Oregon's Constitution, the groups said. Measure 48 is similar to a failed Colorado law, which was recently suspended by Colorado voters after being blamed for damage it did to schools, universities, health care systems, public safety and the economy. Measure 48 is estimated to eliminate $2.2 billion from the 2007-09 budget."
In sharp contrast, the leaders of Maine's Chamber of Commerce feel caught between a rock and a hard place, reporter Victoria Wallack tells us here http://www.mainelincolncountynews.com/.... With common sense like a white-winged dove on one shoulder and the state's conservative machine on the other, they're delaying for as long as possible making a decision. Maybe next week, maybe not. Maybe they'll wait until November 8, then go out on a limb and support the previous night's outcome! That's one kind of leadership.
But here's another: "Three Union 74 school committees in Bremen, Nobleboro and South Bristol have made resolutions opposing the Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) citizen initiative to appear on the Nov. 7 ballot," writes reporter Kim Fletcher here http://www.mainelincolncountynews.com/....
Here's yet another: A pediatrician came all the way from Colorado to tell Mainers about TABOR's impacts on children's health in that state. "I came here because Maine's programs for children really will be threatened if TABOR is enacted," says Steve Berman, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, and head of a global child health initiative. Berman's visit was covered by reporter Trevor Maxwell here http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/....
"Berman, speaking at a press conference in Portland, said the caps led to higher rates of uninsured children, lower immunization rates, and less prenatal care, among other effects.
Joining Berman were David Friedman, founder of Sandy River Group, Michael Tyler, president of Sandy River Health System, and Kitty Purington, an advocate for the Maine Association of Mental Health Services."
"Berman described trends in Colorado and predicted Maine's law would lead to similar results. For example, the percentage of low-income children without health insurance rose from 16 percent to 32 percent between 1992 and 2004, Berman said. That was largely the result of caps on enrollment for state aid programs, he said. He and other health care professionals were part of the successful fight last year to suspend the TABOR limits at the state level. Colorado residents voted to forgo tax refunds under TABOR for the next five years, in favor of increased state investment in health care, education and transportation."
Bet I know one Maine population that's waiting with bated breath for TABOR to pass: criminals, especially ones in Skowhegan, where Somerset County Commissioners are worried they won't be able to build a new jail under TABOR. No new jail, no room to house prisoners, so judges are forced to give probation and suspended sentences. In other words, TABOR is a "get out of jail free" card! Hooray!
Reporter Alan Crowell quotes commission chairman Paul Hatch here http://morningsentinel.mainetoday.com/... "We just think the prudent thing to do is stop right now and not go any further,."
Hatch tells Crowell that "if TABOR passes and is not amended by the Legislature, the chances of building the jail are practically nil. County voters approved the project last year by only a handful of votes. The cost, in one of the poorest counties in Maine, was a major source of controversy."
Hooray, TABOR!
CALIFORNIA
http://www.latimes.com/...
Reporter Tim Reiterman, "Outsiders Bankroll Prop. 90 Campaign"
IDAHO
http://www.boiseweekly.com/...
Reporter Shea Andersen, "Pass It, I'm Gone: Proposition 2 proponent about to be a former Idahoan"
http://www.mtexpress.com/...
Reporter Megan Thomas, "School district targeted in records request: Move could cost taxpayers approximately $70,000"
MAINE
http://www.mainelincolncountynews.com/...
Reporter Victoria Wallack, "State Chamber Rides the Fence on TABOR"
http://www.mainelincolncountynews.com/...
Reporter Kim Fletcher, "School Committees Weigh In On TABOR"
http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/...
Reporter Trevor Maxwell, "Doctor: TABOR puts care at risk"
http://morningsentinel.mainetoday.com/...
Reporter Alan Crowell, "New jail project on hold TABOR outcome awaited"
MONTANA
http://www.missoulanews.com/...
Reporter Paul Peters, "Fishing expedition"
NEBRASKA
http://nebraska.statepaper.com/...
Nebraskan Keith Blackledge, "Beware Of Stuff On A Shingle Like S.O.S."
OREGON
http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/...
Reporter Colin Fogarty, "Business Groups Unite Against Measures 41 & 48"
http://portland.bizjournals.com/...
Associated Press, "Business groups oppose Measure 41 and 48"