CALPIRG Applauds the Angelides Campaign for Unveiling Platform on Honest Government, Urges Governor Schwarzenegger and Others to Follow Suit

"Southern Pacific may no longer have a stranglehold on American politics, but powerful interests still do. Oil companies, pharmaceutical companies, banks, insurers and others use large campaign contributions, loose ethics, and loads of lobbyists to get their way, even when it's not in the public's best interest.

"With political corruption problems making daily headlines, voters want elected officials to remove the stench of politics as usual. They also need candidates to show how they'll clean up the underlying causes of that stench.

"We applaud Treasurer Angelides for unveiling his platform on government reform. His positions in favor of public funding for candidates, lobby reform, disclosure of who's paying for gifts and perks, enforceable penalties for constitutional officers who break the rules, and a ban on staffers moonlighting at other jobs while on the taxpayers dime is a good one. The missing piece is a call for a fair redistricting process, and we urge him to support it.

"We call on Governor Schwarzenegger to match Treasurer Angelides and unveil his platform for on government reform.

"Finally, corruption isn't a problem that only should be addressed in the governor's office. All candidates for elected office should tell voters how they intend to create an honest, open government."