Subject: [big campaign] Release: Rep. Campbell's Direct Conflict of Interest
From: David Donnelly <[email-masked]>
To: "[email-masked]" <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:32:01 -0400
List-Id: <bigcampaign.googlegroups.com>

Please see and feel free to distribute the release below ‹ Campbell is
managing member of a real estate company with six auto-dealers as tenants.
He made between 600K and 6 million last year in rent from these auto
dealers.

  
       
Joint Release from Common Cause and Public Campaign
 
  PRESS RELEASE
 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 October 21, 2009   MEDIA CONTACTS
  Mary Boyle, Common Cause, 202.736.5770
 Rick Bielke, Public Campaign, 202.293.0222
Rep. Campbell¹s Amendment to Consumer Legislation a Blatant Conflict of
Interest
California congressman, and former auto dealer, offers amendment that would
benefit donors and his own tenants at six different properties

Washington, D.C.‹Rep. John Campbell (R-Calif.), whose official congressional
website touts his work in the auto industry for over 25 years, introduced an
amendment to the Consumer Financial Protection Agency Act of 2009 that would
exclude car dealerships from oversight as outlined in the bill  including
six tenants that paid Campbell between $600,000 and $6 million last year in
rent, according to the congressman¹s own personal financial disclosure
forms.

The relationship with the auto dealing industry goes even deeper. Rep.
Campbell has taken more than $170,000 in campaign contributions from auto
dealers during his congressional career, according to the Center for
Responsive Politics.

³Rep. Campbell ought to pull this amendment which would serve to reward his
donors and potentially line his own pockets,² said David Donnelly, National
Campaigns Director for Public Campaign. ³There is no question that
Campbell¹s role as landlord to six auto dealerships presents a direct
conflict of interest in an amendment that aids auto dealers.²

³For too long political contributors have been paid back with policy
favors,² said Bob Edgar, president of Common Cause. ³It¹s time to end
pay-to-play politics and make our elections a debate of what policies are
best for all of us  not just big donors. The time has come for the Fair
Elections Now Act and we urge Rep. Campbell to add his name to the bill.²

The Consumer Financial Protection Act, which is being heard before the House
Financial Services Committee, would create a Consumer Financial Protection
Agency to oversee, monitor, and enforce all consumer financial protection
laws. A wide array of financial transactions would be covered under the new
Agency¹s purview. Amendments to the legislation have been offered in a
day-long markup session Wednesday.

The Fair Elections Now Act (H.R. 1826 and S. 752), introduced by Democratic
Caucus Chair John Larson in the House and Assistant Majority Leader Dick
Durbin in the Senate, would reduce the fundraising pressures on members of
Congress. If enacted, congressional candidates would be able to run for
office with a mixture of small donations and public funding. In addition to
Rep. Larson, the House bill has 107 cosponsors.

Common Cause is a nonpartisan, grassroots organization dedicated to
restoring the core values of American democracy, reinventing an open,
honest, and accountable government that works for the public interest, and
empowering ordinary people to make their voices heard.
 
Based in Washington, D.C., Public Campaign is a national nonprofit
organization dedicated to advancing comprehensive reform of America¹s
election laws and works to hold politicians accountable for the favors they
do for special interests.
###

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