>> WELCOME TO THE COMMITTEE AND
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR
ATTENDANCE THIS MORNING.
>> THANK YOU.
GOOD MORNING.
>> GOOD MORNING.
>> AND I BELIEVE THAT WE WILL
HAVE A COUPLE OF OTHER
COUNCILMEMBERS JOINING US LATER
THIS MORNING AROUND 10:00 A.M.
FOR THE DISCUSSION ON THE CLEAN
CAMPAIGNS ACT WHICH IS COUNCIL
BILL 119 # 01.
I LOOK FORWARD TO WELCOMING
THEM WHEN AND IF THEY ARE ABLE
TO JOIN US.
SO BEFORE WE GET STARTED, A
LOGISTIC CALL THING, IF THERE
IS NO OBJECTION, THE AGENDA
WILL BE ADOPTED.
HEARING NO OBJECTION, TODAY'S
AGENDA IS ADOPTED.
WE WILL BEGIN THIS MORNING WITH
PUBLIC COMMENT AFTER I DO A
QUICK LITTLE REVIEW OF OUR
AGENDA.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE JUST
JOINING US, AND ARE INTERESTED
IN MAKING ANY SORT OF PUBLIC
COMMENT ON ITEMS THAT ARE
LISTED ON TODAY'S AGENDA, THERE
IS A SIGN-UP SHEET RIGHT IN THE
FRONT.
JUST MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME,
WALK ON UP, SIGN IN AND LET US
KNOW WHAT YOU ARE HERE TO SPEAK
ABOUT.
I WILL BE CALLING OUT FOLKS
INDIVIDUALLY FOR PURPOSES OF
PUBLIC TESTIMONY IN JUST A FEW
MINUTES.
AND SO THIS MORNING WE'RE GOING
TO GO AHEAD AND START WITH
SEVERAL APPOINTMENTS FOR
CONSIDERATION BY THE FULL
COUNCIL ON MONDAY.
REALLY EXCITED TO HAVE SOME
GUESTS WITH US TODAY TO BE
CONSIDERED FOR THE SEATTLE
IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE
COMMISSION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THOSE
FOLKS FOR STEPPING UP AND BEING
WILLING TO PARTICIPATE ON THAT
REALLY IMPORTANT COMMISSION.
I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT IT IS THE
MOST IMPORTANT COMMISSION, BUT
I'M A LITTLE BIASED.
LOOKING FORWARD TO WELCOMING
THOSE FOLKS.
I THINK WE HAVE ABOUT SIX
INDIVIDUALS ON THE AGENDA FOR
CONSIDERATION TO BE APPOINTED
OR REAPOINTED TO THAT
COMMISSION AND I UNDERSTAND NOT
ALL OF OUR NOMINEES COULD BE
HERE WITH US, BUT LOOKING
FORWARD TO WELCOMING THOSE WHO
ARE ABLE TO JOIN US THIS
MORNING.
OUR SEVENth AND FINAL AGENDA
ITEM FOR THIS MORNING WILL BE
COUNCIL BILL 119 # 01, THE
CLEAN CAMPAIGNS ACT THIS IS
LEGISLATION THAT I HAVE BEEN
PROUD TO DEVELOP IN PARTNERSHIP
WITH FIX DEMOCRACY FIRST AND
FREE SPEECH TO FIX ELECTIONS
FROM THE CORRUPTION OR THE
APPEARANCE OF CORRUPTION FROM
BIG MONEY AND FOREIGN
INFLUENCE.
WE WILL HAVE A SHORT
PRESENTATION AND THEN WE WILL
HAVE ABOPPORTUNITY TO BE JOINED
BY A PANEL OF EXPERTS ON
CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM.
JOINING US AS PART OF THAT
MEETING, THAT DISCUSSION WILL
BE COUNCILMEMBER DARDEN RICE,
WHO IS THE FIRST PERSON TO
CHAMPION THIS LEGISLATION IN
ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA.
AND SHE PASSED A SIMILAR
ORDINANCE IN 2016.
I'M REALLY EXCITED TO REMOTELY
WELCOME HER VIA OUR VERY
SOPHISTICATED AND I.T.
SYSTEM HERE.
AND ALSO JOINING US REMOTELY IS
THE COMPARE OF THE FEDERAL
ELECTIONS COMMISSION, ELLEN
WEINTRAUB AND PROFESSOR JOHN
COATES OF HARVARD LAW SCHOOL.
IN PERSON WE WILL HAVE CINDY
BLACK OF FIX DEMOCRACY FIRST
AND RON FEIN AND JOHN BONN
PHASES OF FREE SPEECH FOR PEEP.
AND I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR
THEIR EXPERTISE AND FOR
TRAVELING FROM AFAR TO JOIN US
AT THE TABLE TO HAVE A
DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS
LEGISLATION AND ALSO I WANT TO
THANK ERIC THERE WHO IS GOING
-- WHO HAS BEEN REALLY
INSTRUMENTAL IN MAKING SURE
THAT WE CAN HAVE ALL OF THE
TECHNOLOGY CONNECTED IN
CLAMBERS TODAY TO HANDLE REMOTE
PARTICIPATION OF OUR EXPERT
PANEL.
THANK YOU, ERIC.
I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
OKAY.
SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND GET
STARTED WITH THE PUBLIC
COMMENT.
AS USUAL, EACH PERSON WHO HAS
SIGNED UP WILL GET UP TO TWO
MINUTES TO PROVIDE US PUBLIC
TESTIMONY.
THERE ARE CLOCKS IN THE FRONT
FOR YOU TO SELF MONITOR.
IF YOU GO OVER YOUR TWO
MINUTES, I WILL
INTERREPRESENTATIVE YOU AND ASK
YOU TO PLEASE WRAP UP YOUR
COMMENTS SO THAT WE CAN
CONTINUE ON THROUGH OUR PUBLIC
COMMENT SHEET AND HEAR FROM ALL
OF THOSE WHO HAVE SIGNED UP.
JUST SO YOU ALL ARE AWARE, I
HAVE ALLOTTED ONLY 20 MINUTES
THIS MORNING FOR PUBLIC
TESTIMONY.
IF WE EXCEED THE 20 MINUTES, I
WILL GO AHEAD AND SUSPEND
PUBLIC COMMENT NHL THE END OF
THE COMMITTEE AGENDA.
IF THERE ARE FOLK WHOSE DIDN'T
HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK,
SO IF YOU SIGNED UP, YOU WILL
HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE US
PUBLIC EXCELLENT, IT WILL JUST
BE A DIFFERENCE OF WHETHER YOU
GET TO DO IT AT THE TOP OF THE
AGENDA OR THE BOTTOM OF THE
AGENDA, AND SO I APPRECIATE
YOUR COOPERATION AND
FLEXIBILITY ON THAT AS WE WORK
OUR WAY THROUGH A VERY BUSY
AGENDA THIS MORNING.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE'LL
GO AHEAD AND START THE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD.
FIRST UP IS DAVID HAINES.
>> GOOD MORNING.
>> TRUE DEMOCRACY VEER SIS A
CITY CHAPTER OF HYPOCRISY.
REMEMBER WHEN CITY COUNCIL
MEMBER SALLY CLARK LEFT AND
CITY COUNCIL BYPASSED THE
ELECTORATE?
REMEMBER THE PEDOPHILE THAT
NEVER SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE
MAYOR AND TWO COUNCILMEMBERS
WHO PRETTY MUCH APPOINTORRED
THEMSELVESS SO THEY COULD GIVE
MORE TO AMAZON TO STAY?
REMEMBER RON JOHNSON WHO IS NOW
IN THE KEYARENA WITH A CRACKED,
UNSAFE ROOFTOP.
THEY ALL WERE REPLACED WITHOUT
LETTING THE ELECTORATE VOTE IN
A SPECIAL ELECTION.
THIS BYPASSING OUR DEMOCRACY IS
PART OF THE ISSUE.
WE HAVE TO HAVE A MORE
INCLUSIVE SPECIAL ELECTION
WHERE ALL PARTICIPATING CITIZEN
VOTERS SHOULD HAVE A SAY, NOT
CITY COUNCIL WHO IS PART OF AN
OPPRESSIVE CITY CHAPTER.
YET THEY WANT TO CREATE AN
UNCONSTITUTIONAL LAW THAT
FURTHER STALLS PROGRESS FOR A
STUDY GRESH INTO MORE
LAUNDERED, DIRTY ELECTION,
BYPASSING A DEMOCRACY THAT VOWS
TO COMPETE WITH JOB CREATORS
WHOSE EMPLOYEES HAVE SUFFERED
THE TREASON ICE POLICIES OF
COUNCIL.
YET THIS LAW IS SPECIFICALLY
DESIGNED TO ONLY HELP THE CITY
COUNCIL WHO IS UP FOR RE-
ELECTION IN LESS THAN TWO
YEARS.
WE NEED AN AMENDMENT THAT
STATES CLEARLY IF YOU'RE NOT --
EXCUSE ME, WE NEED AN AMENDMENT
THAT STATES CLEARLY IF YOU'RE
NOT A CITIZEN OF THE UNITED
STATES, YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO
DONATE TO LOCAL ELECTIONS OR BE
INVOLVED OTHER THAN BEARING
WITNESS TO THE PEACE IT
PROVIDES.
HERE WE ARE IN ANOTHER WINTER
EMERGENCY FOR FORESAKEN
HOMELESS AND COUNCIL IS ABUSING
THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS TO HELP
THEIR OWN CAREER INSTEAD OF
CREATING PROPER POLICIES MAKING
COUNCIL WORRY THEY SHOULD BE
OVERTHROWN OF THEIR FAILED
LEADERSHIP.
NO NON-CITIZENS ARE ALLOYED TO
GIVE YOU MONEY.
YOU HAVE TO REJECT ALL
ANONYMOUS AND NON-CITIZEN
MONEY!
ESPECIALLY TO NONPROFITS AND
YOU HAVE TO INCLUDE IN THIS
LIKE ADDRESSOUS LIKE ABRUPT
QUICKNESS RANKED SCHOIS.
YOU'RE CHEATING US WITH LAME
OPPONENTS, PERHAPS MAYBE A
SECOND ROUND OF VOTING BEFORE
THE FINAL VOTE.
>> NEXT UP IS HEALTHER KELLY
FOLLOWED BY GRACE PROV.
>>> GOOD MORNING.
MY NAME IS HEATHER KELLY AND
I'M THE ACTION CHAIR AND SECOND
VICE PRESIDENT OF THE LEAGUE OF
WOMEN VOTERS OF SEATTLE, KING
COUNTY.
I AM HERE TODAY TO EXPRESS OUR
ENTHUSIC SUPPORT OF THE CLEAN
CAMPAIGNS ACT AND TO URGE CITY
COUNCIL TO PASS IT.
THE MISSION OF A LEAGUE OF
WOMEN VOTERS TO EMPOWER VOTERS
AND DEFEND DEMOCRACY AND THIS
LAW WOULD ACCOMPLISH BOTH.
I'LL START WITH VOTER
EMPOWERMENT.
THE LEAGUE WORKS TIRELESSLY TO
EDUCATE VOTERS NOT ONLY ABOUT
THE ISSUES ON THE BALLOT, BUT
ABOUT THE POWER OF THEIR VOTE.
TOO OFTEN OUR MESSAGE IS
DROWNED OUT BY LOUDER MESSAGES
COMMUNICATED BY BIG MONEY AND
POLITICS THAT ELECTIONS AND
POLITICIANS ARE FOR SALE, THAT
SPECIAL INTEREST WILL PREVAIL
OVER THE COMMON INTEREST, AND
THAT THE ONLY WAY TO GET A
MEETING IS TO WRITE A CHECK.
THESE MESSAGES MAKE VOTERS FEEL
POWERLESS, PARTICULARLY LOW-
INCOME VOTERS AND VOTERS OF
COLOR WHO HAVE BEEN
SYSTEMATICALLY AND HISTORICALLY
DISENFRANCHISED.
WE LOSE THE BENEFIT OF THEIR
PARTICIPATION IN OUR GLOCK SIGH
WHEN THEY ARE PUT ASIDE THAT
WEAKENS OUR CITY BECAUSE
INEVITABLY THOSE VOTERS ARE
AFFECT BID THE DECISIONS MADE
HERE IN CITY HALL AND THEY DO
HAVE IMPORTANT PERSPECTIVES TO
CONTRIBUTE THAT COULD INFORM
YOUR WORK.
WHEN PEOPLE SIT OUT TO VOTE
BECAUSE OF UNCONSTRAINED
CORPORATE CAMPAIGN
CONTRIBUTIONS, ITS MEANS THOSE
CROCKSES HAVE TAINTED OUR
POLITICS, WHETHER THEY HAVE ANY
CORRUPTING INFLUENCE ON THE
CANDIDATES THEMSELVES.
THAT BRINGS US TO THE SECOND
GOAL AS AN ORGANIZATION,
DEFENDING DEMOCRACY.
IT ACCOMPLISHES THAT AMONG
OTHER THINGS BY INSULATING OUR
ELECTIONS BY FOREIGN INFLUENCE
AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS ON
INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURES.
SEATTLE VOTERS HAVE ALREADY
EXPRESSED THEIR APPROVAL FOR
LIEUS THAT PROMOTE TRANSPARENCY
AND ACCOUNTABILITY WHEN THEY
PASSED HONEST ELECTION SEATTLE
FOUR YEARS AGO.
SEATTLEITES WANT TO KNOW WHO
AND WHAT THEY'RE VOTING FOR.
THEY SAID THAT WITH THE VOTE.
PLEASE HELP THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN
VOTERS CONTINUE TO EMBOLDEN
VOTERS AND STRENGTHEN THE
POLITICAL FABRIC OF OUR CITY BY
PASSING THIS CRITICAL LAW.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, HEATHER.
WELL DONE.
>>> NEXT UP IS GRACE, AND THEN
WE WILL HEAR FROM MARRING RETE
RICHARD.
>> GOOD MORNING.
>> I AM INTRIGUED BY THIS VIDEO
PRETENDING THERE IS A COUNCIL
PRESENT.
OKAY.
THE FIRST AMENDMENT OF OUR
CONSTITUTION SETS AMERICA
APART.
WE HAVE MORE FREEDOM TO SPEAK
OUR MINDS THAN MOST PEOPLE
AROUND THE WORLD, YET WHEN
MONEY IS CONSIDERED SPEECH, OUR
DEMOCRACY IS FACED WITH A
SPECIAL CHALLENGE.
HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT NO --
THAT ONE PERSON EQUALS ONE
VOTE, THAT PEOPLE WITH VAST
WEALTH DO NOT HAVE UNDUE
INFLUENCE ON OUR ELECTIONS.
THE BILL YOU ARE NOW
CONSIDERING IS AN ATTEMPT TO
LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD FOR
CITY ELECTIONS.
I SUPPORT THIS BILL BECAUSE ITS
GOAL IS SO IMPORTANT.
I ESPECIALLY SUPPORT THE $5,000
LIMIT OF CONTRIBUTIONS TO
INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURE GROUPS.
THESE GROUPS FORM TO ESCAPE
RESTRICTIONS ON INDIVIDUAL
CONTRIBUTIONS THIS BILL WILL
RAIN THEM IN SO -- REIGN REIN
THEM IN.
AND DID YOU IMAGINE WHEN THIS
BUILDING WAS DESIGNED THAT ON
THE SECOND FLOOR THERE IS NO
WATER.
I NEED WATER NOW AND THEN.
I HAD TO USE THE EL VIE FOR OR
THE STAIRS TO GO TO THE FIRST
FLOOR CAFE TO FIND A BIT OF
WATER.
THAT IS BIZARRE.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, GRACE.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> I THINK WE HAVE SOME WATER
FOUNTAINS AROUND THE CORNER IF
YOU NEED WATER IN THE FUTURE,
BUT WE WILL TALK TO OUR
FACILITIES FOLKS ABOUT THAT
FEEDBACK AND SEE IF WE CAN GET
SOME BETTER WAY FINDING FOR
FOLKS TO QUENCH THEIR THRICE IF
NEEDED SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
THAT FEEDBACK.
OKAY.
MARRING RETE RICHARD YOU'RE
NEXT FOLLOWED BULLPEN NOAH
RAMIREZ.
>> YES, I'M MISS RICHARD AND I
LOVE LOGISTICS.
THAT IS A LOGISTICS' QUESTION
AND I HAVE COME DOWN HERE,
TALKED ABOUT THAT.
SITUATION BEFORE, SO GOOD LUCK
WITH THAT ANYWAY SO SINCE
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT CAMPAIGN
ACT, I WAS WONDERING HOW
ANYONE, INCLUDING YOURSELF, CAN
VIOLATE THE OATH OF OFFICE FOR
-- FIVE TIMES AND STILL BE
SEATED AS COUNCIL PERSON.
SO I THINK GOING INTO 2020
WOULD BE A GOOD YEAR SINCE IT
DIDN'T HAPPEN THIS YEAR THAT
CITY HALL WILL BE RAIDED BY
BUFFALO, NEW YORK, BECAUSE THE
PEOPLE CANNOT CONTINUE TO LIVE
UP UNDER THIS OPPRESSION,
DEPRESSION, SUPPRESSION AND
REPRESSION.
AND I THINK THAT THE THINGS
THAT PEOPLE DISCUSSED ON
YESTERDAY WAS SUPPOSED TO BE
HUMAN RIGHTS DAY, WHICH WOULD
FALL IN LINE WITH THE
CRIMINALITY THAT TAKES PLACE
CONSTANTLY TOWARD BLACK PEOPLE
IN TERMS OF POLICE BEATINGS,
WHICH I WAS INFORMED THAT A 24-
YEAR-OLD WAS RECENTLY, BLACK
FEMALE, WAS BEAT UP BY SEVEN
POLICE, AND YOU ARE OVER PUBLIC
SAFETY.
SO IT IS TIME TO END THIS
CORRUPTION.
THAT IS OCCURRING, AND WHEN IT
IMMEDIATELY HAPPENS, THAT THOSE
NAMES ARE RELEASED OF THESE
UNCUT POLICE OFFICERS THAT ARE
BEATING PEOPLE ILLEGAL AND THEN
WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH SOME
SYSTEM OF THE -- THE COURT
SYSTEM TO HELP US TO PIECE
ORLIVES -- YEAH, OUR LIVES BACK
TOGETHER AFTER OUR LIVES HAVE
BEEN SHATTERED, AND SO I THINK
IT IS KIND OF LIKE -- I DON'T
KNOW IF SITCOM CALL BECAUSE
SOME PEOPLE REALLY DO THINK IT
IS A JOKE THAT ANYONE WOULD
EVEN GO AGAINST THE SYSTEM WHEN
THEY'RE GOING THROUGH SOMETHING
EGRESS ROUSE CIRCUMSTANCES.
>> THANK YOU, MISS RICHARD.
YOUR TIME IS UP.
>> I KNOW IT IS.
I KNOW IT IS.
>> AND NEXT IS RAMIREZ AND THEN
FOLLOWING NOAH WILL BE LINDA
BREWSTER AND THEN WE WILL HEAR
FROM KEN DAM MONS, AND THEN IF
YOU COULD PLEASE CHECK THE SIGN-
IN SHEET TO SEE IF ANY OTHERS
HAVE SIGNED UP, I'D APPRECIATE
IT.
>> GOOD MORNING.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO
SPEAK TODAY.
MY NAME IS NOAH RAYMOND AND I'M
HERE ON BEHALF OF THE LATINO
COMMUNITY IN WASHINGTON STATE.
CHAMPIONED BY THE HONORABLE
COUNCILMEMBER GONZALES.
AND THE REACH OF A POLITICAL
CANDIDATE SHOULD BE EARNED, NOT
BOUGHT.
WHEN DETERMINING WHICH WAY TO
VOTE, ELECTED OFFICIALS SHOULD
REFER TO THE WILL OF THEIR
CONSTITUENTS, NOT THAT OF THEIR
CORPORATE SPONSORS.
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR IN SEATTLE
ARE CONSTANTLY FACE AGUILAR SH
DISADVANTAGE IN A POLITICAL
SYSTEM THAT WAS BUILT WITH THE
INTENTION OF DISENFRANCHISING
THEIR VOICE AT ALL LEVELS OF
ENGAGEMENT.
THE LEVEL OF INFLUENCE THAT THE
MASSIVE CORPORATIONS CAN HAVE
OVER HOW THOSE SAME PEOPLE ARE
GOVERNED IS UNFATHOMABLE.
THE AVERAGE PERSON IN OUR
COMMUNITY IS NOT REPRESENTED
WITH OUR CURRENT SYSTEM AND FOR
THAT REASON I MUST SAY THEIR
VOICE IS RATHER -- RATHER OUR
VOICES MATTER.
OUR VOICES DESERVE RECOGNITION.
OUR COLLECTIVE VOICES REPRESENT
A MORE HONEST SEATTLE, WHICH IS
HOME TO A DIVERSE COMMUNITY
FULL OF PEOPLE THAT COME FROM
MANY DIFFERENT WALKS OF LIFE.
BY ALLOWING BIG MONEY, SUPER
PACKS AND OTHER WEALTHY PLAYERS
TO INFLUENCE THE SYSTEM, LIKE
IN THE MOST CITY COUNCIL
ELECTIONS, YOU'RE REINFORCING
THE NOTION THAT OUR VOICES
DON'T MATTER.
WE WILL TAKE OUR POWER BACK.
THE QUESTION IS WHETHER OR NOT
YOU WILL BE THERE TO SUPPORT
US.
ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR
ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK AND I'D
LIKE TO AGAIN DECLARE MY
SUPPORT FOR THE CLEAN CAMPAIGNS
ACT.
>> THANK YOU, NOAH.
>> NEXT UP IS LINDA FOLLOWED BY
KEN.
>> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
MY NAME IS LINDA BREWSTER.
I AM THE CHAIR OF FIX DEMOCRACY
FIRST, THE ORGANIZATION WITH
FREE SPEECH FOR PEOPLE THAT
SPEARHEADED THE CLEAN CAMPAIGNS
ACT.
I ALSO WAS A MEGA VOLUNTEER AND
ULTIMATELY CHAIR OF INITIATIVE
735, THE GET BIG MONEY OUT OF
ELECTIONS INITIATIVE, SO AS YOU
CAN SEE OR AS YOU CAN
UNDERSTAND, I'M TOTALLY
COMMITTED TO WORKING FOR
DEMOCRACY.
I AM NOT A SEATTLE RESIDENT AND
I AM ACTUALLY A FAIRLY RECENT
AMERICAN CITIZEN, WHICH IS PART
ALSO OF WHAT MOTIVATES ME THAT
I WAS GOING TO STOP BRAGGING
ABOUT MY COUNTRY, CANADA AND
START WORKING REALLY HARD TO
ACHIEVE THE VALUES THAT I HAVE
FOR ANY DEMOCRACY.
I DO BELIEVE THAT THIS
INITIATIVE WILL HAVE NATIONAL
SIGNIFICANCE, WHICH IS WHY I
CAPE FROM PORT TOWNSEND HERE
THIS MORNING TO SPEAK ON IT.
AND I THINK THE IMPORTANCE OF
DEMOCRACY AND ONE PERSON, ONE
VOTE CANNOT BE OVER ESTIMATED
AND NOR CAN THE IMPACT OF MONEY
AND POLITICAL INFLUENCE ON
UNDERMINING OUR GOVERN NANCE,
OUR POLICIES AND OUR BELIEF IN
DEMOCRACY.
SO PLEASE SUPPORT THE CLEAN
CAMPAIGNS ACT.
THANKS.
>> THANK YOU, LINDA, FOR
JOINING US.
I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF THE
WORK YOU VIEW DONE OVER THE
YEARS AN CONGRATULATIONS ON
BECOMING A U.S. CITIZEN.
>>> OKAY.
NEXT UP IS KEN, AND THEN WE
WILL HEAR FROM LEILA REYNOLDS.
>> GOOD MORNING.
>> MY NAME IS KEN DAM MON.
I AM THE CO-CHAIR OF FIX
DEMOCRACY FIST, AND I'M KIND OF
BATTING CLEAN-UP ON THIS ISSUE.
OBVIOUSLY WE SUPPORT PASS AN OF
THE CHEAP CAMPAIGNS ACT.
PEOPLE IN OUR COUNTRY AND IN
SEATTLE IN PARTICULAR ARE ALL
WONDERING WHO OUR
REPRESENTATIVES ARE ACTUALLY
REPRESENTING.
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE
CONCLUDED THAT THEY'RE
REPRESENTING THOSE PEOPLE WHO
PROVIDE LARGE AMOUNTS OF MONEY
THAT CONTRIBUTE EITHER IN
CAMPAIGNS OR OUTSIDE BY THIRD-
PARTY PACTS TO THE ELECTION OF
OUR OFFICIALS.
YOU CAN EASILY UNDERSTAND WHY
SOMEBODY WOULD DRAW THAT
CONCLUSION.
THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION HAS
THE POTENTIAL TO HAVE A
NATIONAL IMPACT BECAUSE WE DO
EXPECT THAT IT WILL BE
APPEALED.
MAYBE TO THE SUPREME COURT
EVEN.
AND IF THE RULINGS GO IN THE
DIRECTION THAT WE HAVE REASON
TO BELIEVE, THIS COULD HAVE
IMPLICATIONS FOR THE ENTIRE
COUNTRY, AND WE'RE SO GLAD TO
SEE SEATTLE AND, IN PARTICULAR,
OUR BRAVE CITY COUNCIL PERSON
GONZALEZ TO TAKE THE LEAD ON
THIS.
SEATTLE HAS LED IN SO MANY
O'EVIDENTS, EXCUSE ME.
EASY FOR ME TO SAY, SO MANY
OTHER EFFORTS TO BENEFIT AND
IMPROVE THE WAY ELECTIONS ARE
CONDUCTED AND THIS IS YET
ANOTHER ONE.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
>> THANK YOU, KEN.
>>> NEXT UP IS LEILA REYNOLDS
FOLLOWED BY SARAH BETH MILLER.
>> HI.
>> MY NAME IS LEILA REYNOLDS AN
I WORK AT THE WASHINGTON BUS,
AND WE'RE AN ORGANIZATION THAT
TRIES TO GET YOUNG PEOPLE,
PARTICULARLY UNDER REPRESENTED
YOUNG PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE
POLITICAL PROCESS SO I SPEND A
LOT OF TIME TALKING TO TEENS
AND COLLEGE STUDENTS ABOUT
POLITICS AND WHAT POLITICS AND
A LOT OF THE TIME WHAT I HEAR
FIRST OFF IS I DON'T CARE ABOUT
POLITICS.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND POLITICS.
WHAT IS POLITICS?
I DON'T HAVE A VOICE IN
POLITICS, BUT THEN I START
TALKING TO THEM ABOUT HOUSING
AFFORDABILITY OR ABOUT CLIMATE
JUSTICE, OH, I CARE ABOUT THAT,
YEAH.
THE RENT IS TOO HIGH AND I'M
LIKE OKAY.
WELL, THAT IS POLITICS.
AND I THINK A BIG PART OF THAT
AND WHY I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF
THE CLEAN CAMPAIGNS ACT IS THAT
THEY FEEL LIKE THEIR VOICE
DOESN'T MATTER BECAUSE
DEMOCRACY IS A POKER GAME WITH
A BIG BUY-IN IN AN UNDISCLOSED
LOCATION AND THEY DON'T HAVE
ANY CHIPS AND THEY DON'T HAVE
THE BUY-IN, AND I THINK THE
REASON THE WASHINGTON BUS
REALLY SUPPORTS THIS ACT IS
BECAUSE WE LOVE DEMOCRACY
VOUCHERS AND WHEN WE TALK TO
YOUNG PEOPLE ABOUT DEMOCRACY
VOUCHERS THEY GET REALLY
EXCITED BECAUSE THEY FEEL LIKE
THEY FINALLY HAVE SOMETHING
THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY DO TO
CONTRIBUTE TO THE POLITICAL
PROCESS, LIKE SOMETHING
PHYSICAL.
AND THIS IS JUST ANOTHER STEP
IN MAKING CAMPAIGNS EVEN MORE
ACCESSIBLE AND RELATABLE TO
YOUNG VOTERS.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER.
>> THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND
ALL OF THE WORK THAT WASHINGTON
BUS ACROSS THE STATE.
SARAH BETH MILLER FOLLOWED BY
MARY KAY HIGHT.
>> GOOD MORNING.
>> I AM SARAH MILLER.
AND I AM HERE TO REPRESENT THE
SOUTH SEATTLE --
>> SARAH, YOU CAN LOWER THAT
MICROPHONE DOWN.
THERE YOU GO.
THANK YOU.
>> I AM HERE REPRESENTING THE
SOUTH SEATTLE UNIT OF THE
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS.
AND I ONLY JUST JOINED THE
LEAGUE THIS PAST APRIL, AND I
JOINED BECAUSE I WAS MOTIVATED
BY THE SAME FACTORS THAT ARE
INFORMING THIS ORDINANCE.
PROFOUND CONCERN AREN'T THE
INFLUENCE OF BIG MONEY AND
FOREIGN INFLUENCE ON OUR
ELECTIONS AND ITS LITERAL AND
PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT ON OUR
LOCAL AND NATIONAL DEMOCRACY.
I'M ALSO THE MOTHER OF TWO 30-
SOMETHING DAUGHTERS.
THEY'RE POLITICALLY AWARE.
WE TALK ABOUT POLITICS A LOT,
BUT I RECENTLY HAVE BECOME MORE
STRUCK BY THE FEELING OF A
CREEPING HOPELESSNESS THAT I
HEAR FROM THEM, A SORT OF MAYBE
I'M GOING TO JUST GIVE IT ALL
UP IN THIS THAT I HEAR.
I'M HERE TO URGE YOU AND THE
SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL TO BEGIN
THE PROCESS OF SAVING MY
DAUGHTERS AND OTHERS FROM
HOPELESSNESS ABOUT OUR
DEMOCRACY.
AND TO PARRA PHRASE JOE BIDEN'S
COMMENT TO MR. PUTIN,
SEATTLEITES SHOULD DECIDE
ELECTIONS, NOT BIG MONEY AND
FOREIGN INFLUENCE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>>> NEXT UP IS MARY KAY
FOLLOWED BY ALICE AND THEN WE
WILL HEAR OUR LAST SPEAKER WHO
SIGNED UP MARTIN TOE LARIS.
>> GOOD MORNING.
>> I AM ALSO HERE REPRESENTING
THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS.
THE SOUTH END UNIT.
I'M VERY HAPPY TO BE HERE.
I WAS BORN ON THE 4th OF JULY.
MY PARENTS AND MY GRANDPARENTS
WERE VERY ACTIVE IN LOCAL
POLITICS.
AND I SOMEHOW GREW UP THINKING
THAT MY OPINION AND MY VOTE
MATTERED, AND THAT ONE PERSON
REALLY COULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE
IN OUR COUNTRY.
HOW SAD HAS THIS BECOME.
>> THE LEAGUE'S CAMPAIGN ABOUT
IS ALIGNED WITH THE COMMISSION
AND EMPOWERING VOTERS AND
DEFENDING DEMOCRACY.
OUR SEATTLE VOTERS WANT TO KNOW
THAT THEIR VOTES COUNT, AND
THAT THE MONEY THAT FLOWS FROM
OUTSIDE INTERESTS WILL NOT BE
THE DECIDING FACTOR IN OUR CITY
ELECTIONS.
AS I WAS CAMPAIGNING FOR A
CANDIDATE SEVERAL YEARS AGO, I
WAS STRUCK BY THE FACT THAT SO
MANY PEOPLE, WHETHER IT WAS AT
STARBUCK'S OR AT THEIR FRONT
DOORS, DIDN'T THINK THEIR VOTE
MATTERED.
AND IT MADE ME SO SAD THAT WE
HAVE COME TO THIS AND OUR
COUNTRY THAT OUR CITIZENS DON'T
THINK THEY COUNT.
SO I URGE YOU TO ADOPT THIS
CLEAN CAMPAIGN ACT.
LORENA GONZALEZ, THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR BRINGING THIS
OPPORTUNITY TO US.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> OKAY.
NEXT UP IS ALICE, AND THEN WE
WILL CONCLUDE WITH MARTIN.
>> ALICE WALT.
I LIVE AT 6514, 12th AVENUE
NORTHWEST, AND I AM HERE THIS
MORNING TO THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER GONZALEZ FOR
INTRODUCING THIS ORDINANCE.
AND AS A FORMER EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF FIRST WASHINGTON
PUBLIC CAMPAIGNS AND IT THEN
BECAME FIX DEMOCRACY FIRST, I
HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS ISSUE
FOR A LONG TIME ALONG WITH
DISCLOSURE, TRANSPARENCY AND
MANY OTHER ISSUES THAT AFFECT
OUR DEMOCRACY.
THIS ONE, THOUGH, IS SO
IMPORTANT.
THE MONEY -- GETTING MONEY, BIG
MONEY OUT OF POLITICS AND
ESPECIALLY THE KIND OF SPECIAL
INTERESTS THAT CAN BUY
ELECTIONS.
JUST SEEING THIS PAST CAMPAIGN
WHERE WE HAD AMAZON DUMPING A
MILLION DOLLARS AND MORE INTO
CAMPAIGNS, IT REALLY JUST -- IT
DISAPPOINTED ME, FOR ONE, BUT
MANY, MANY OTHERS IN THIS CITY.
AS A CANDIDATE IN THE PAST, I
BELIEVE IT IS SO MUCH MORE
IMPORTANT FOR CANDIDATES TO
TALK TO PEOPLE ABOUT THE
POLICIES THAT THEY BELIEVE?
RATHER THAN ASKING FOR MONEY
CONSTANTLY.
THE OTHER THING WITH THESE
INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURES, MOST
OF THAT MONEY GOES INTO
NEGATIVE CAMPAIGNING, AND IT IS
ANOTHER REASON WHY PEOPLE DON'T
VOTE.
PEOPLE THINK WHY DO I CARE?
THEY BELIEVE LIES AND SO THANK
YOU AGAIN FOR INTRODUCING THE
CLEAN CAMPAIGNS ACT AND WE'LL
BE THERE TO SUPPORT YOU ALL THE
WAY.
>> THANK YOU, ALICE.
I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> OKAY.
NEXT UP IS MARTIN.
>> THANK YOU FOR HOLDING THIS
IMPORTANT EVENT AND I WANT TO
PERSONALLY THANK YOU,
REPRESENTATIVE, FOR ALL OF THE
WORK YOU HAVE DONE FOR THIS.
MY NAME FOR THE RECORD IS
MARTIN TELL RICO.
>> SORRY.
I MISREAD IT.
I APOLOGIZE.
>> HAZARD OF THIS JOB.
>> I AM ALSO A RECENTLY
DISPLACED FINANCIAL SERVICES
WORKER HERE IN SEATTLE.
I LIVE IN WEST SEATTLE AT THE
ALASKA JUNCTION.
I WORKED WITH A NUMBER OF THESE
PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE YEARS IN
COLLECTING SIGNATURES FOR WHEN
WE ALL VOTED TO ASK CONGRESS
AND OUR STATE LEGISLATORS TO
CALL FOR AN AMEND TOM THE
CONSTITUTION WHICH TENDS TO BE
AN ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM WHEN I
THINK OF IT.
I THINK IT IS VERY IMPORTANT
THAT WE HAVE THE DISCUSSION OF
AMENDING THE CONSTITUTION FOR
FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS, AND
THAT IT CAN BE LIMITED.
IT CAN BE MONITORED, AND IT IS
OUR ONLY HOPE THAT WE HAVE.
CONGRESS IS BROKEN.
I TOOK PART IN THE DEMOCRACY
SPRING MARCH IN 2016 AFTER MY
WITH CITIZENS UNITED AND
EVERYTHING I SAW AND NOTHING
BEING DONE, AND THAT WAS SOON
AFTER -- WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE
DON'T KNOW IS CONGRESS DID ACT,
AND THEY WROTE BILLS IN
RESPONSE TO THAT THAT ARE STILL
SITTING ON -- IN THE SENATE --
ON THE SENATE LEADER'S DESK.
AND CONGRESS IS BROKEN.
WE HAVE TO GO AROUND CONGRESS.
THE ONLY WAY WE CAN DO THAT IS
THROUGH THE STATES.
THE STATES CAN CALL FOR A
CONVENTION JUST LIKE THE
CONGRESS CAN CALL FOR A
CONVENTION.
WE NEVER AMENDED THE
CONSTITUTION IN OUR LIFETIME.
IT IS TIME THAT WE DO IT
BECAUSE THE FORCES OUT THERE
ARE GREAT.
AND WE HAVE TO -- YOU ALL KNOW
WE HAVE TO -- WE HAVE TO
APPROACH THEM FROM ALL ANGLES,
AND THAT IS WHAT I WANT TO SAY
AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE
WORK YOU'RE DOING AND I ALSO
WANT TO SAY THAT I HAVE WITHIN
FORTUNATE TO GO AND PROTEST.
A LOT OF PEOPLE CAN'T DO THAT.
AND WHEREVER I GO, PEOPLE
ALWAYS MENTION SEATTLE, AND IT
IS BECAUSE OF ALL OF US AROUND
US FIGHTING FOR WHAT IS RIGHT.
AND I THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING
THAT FIGHT.
>> THANK YOU, MARTIN.
I APPRECIATE YOUR BEING HERE.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> OKAY THAT WAS OUR LAST
PERSON SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC
TESTIMONY.
WE'RE JUST SLIGHTLY OVER THE 20
MINUTES BUT WE ONLY HAD A
COUPLE OF EXTRA FOLKS SO I
THOUGHT WE WOULD GET HER DONE
SO I APPRECIATE THE INDULGENCE.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO
INTENDED TO SIGN UP BUT DIDN'T
GET A CHANCE TO SIGN UP JUST SO
THAT I HAVE A SENSE OF --
MA'AM, DO YOU INTEND TO STAY
UNTIL THE VERY END OR WOULD YOU
LIKE TO PROVIDE YOUR PUBLIC
TESTIMONY NOW?
>> OKAY.
SURE.
COME ON UP.
AND THEN THE ONLY THING I'D ASK
IS YOU MAKE SURE AFTER YOU'RE
DONE WITH YOUR TESTIMONY YOU
JOT YOUR NAME DOWN FOR THE
RECORD ON THAT FORM UP AT --
>> THANK YOU.
>> I JUST WANTED TO SAY FOR THE
RECORD I'M ON THE BOARD OF THE
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS AND OUR
BOARD VOTED TO SUPPORT THIS.
WE THINK IT IS VERY WELL
WRITTEN, AND IT HAS REAL
IMPLICATION FOR WHAT IS GOING
TO HAPPEN ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
IF THIS CAN HAPPEN HERE, WE CAN
START BUILDING FROM THE BOTTOM
UP.
IT IS CLEAR THAT THAT IS THE
ONLY WAY WE'RE GOING TO L
REALLY EFFECT CHANGE IN OUR
COUNTRY AND SO I THINK THAT WE
NEED TO REMEMBER WE'RE DOING
THIS FOR NOT JUST THE PEOPLE IN
OUR CITY AND STATE, BUT FOR AN
EXAMPLE THAT CAN LEAD THE REST
OF OUR COUNTRY IN THIS
DIRECTION.
SO THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> JUST PLEASE MIKE SURE TO JOT
YOUR NAME DOWN THERE IN THE
FRONT BEFORE YOUR WALK AWAY.
I APPRECIATE IT.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WANTED
TO GIVE US PUBLIC TESTIMONY
BEFORE WE GO AHEAD AND MOVE
INTO OUR ITEMS OF BUSINESS?
OKAY.
SEEING NO ONE, I WILL GO AHEAD
AND CLOSE OUT OUR PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD.
WE MANAGED TO GET THROUGH ALL
OF THOSE WHO SIGNED UP, SO I
REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR
COOPERATION WITH THAT AND I
ALSO REALLY WANT TO EXPRESS ON
BEHALF OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND
THIS COMMITTEE OUR GRATITUDE
FOR ALL OF THOSE OF YOU IN THE
AUDIENCE WHO SHOWED UP TODAY TO
WITH HERE FOR THIS REALLY
IMPORTANT CONVERSATION.
I KNOW THAT MANY OF YOU HAVE
BEEN WHAT I AFFECTIONATELY
REFER TO AS DEMOCRACY WARRIORS
OVER THE MANY, MANY, MANY PAST
YEARS AND I RECOGNIZE THAT WE
HERE ON THE COUNSEL IN MANY
WAYS BY INTRODUCTION ON THIS
BILL STAND ON YOUR SHOULDERS
AND THE WORK THAT YOU HAVE DONE
HISTORICALLY IN THIS SPACE ON
VARIOUS CAMPAIGNS TO REALLY
DEFEND OUR DEMOCRATIC PROCESS
AND TO MAKE SURE THAT ELECTED
OFFICIALS LIKE MYSELF AND
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN ARE
TRULY ACCOUNTABLE TO THE PEOPLE
WHO HAVE ELECTED US TO THESE
POSITIONS AND NOT TO BIG DOLLAR
DONORS AND TO CORPORATE
INTERESTS WHO MAY NOT HAVE THE
SAME PHILOSOPHY AROUND
PRINCIPLES IN MIND THAT WE HAVE
COMMITSED TO BRING TO CITY HALL
ON BEHALF OF REAL PEOPLE LIVING
AND STRUGGLING IN OUR
COMMUNITIES.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF
THE WORK THAT YOU ALL HAVE
HISTORICALLY DONE AND I
CERTAINLY APPRECIATE YOUR
ENGAGEMENT ON THIS ISSUE AND
LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR CONTINUED
ENGAGEMENT ON THIS ISSUE AS WE
CONTINUE TO NOT JUST ADVOCATE
AND FIGHT FOR THE PASSAGE OF
THE CLEAN CAMPAIGNS ACT, BUT
ONCE WE SHIFT INTO DEFENDING
THE CLEAN CAMPAIGNS ACT, SO
THANK YOU YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR
JOINING US.
>>> AUTOBIOGRAPHY SO WE'RE
GOING TO GO AHEAD AND JUMP INTO
OUR ITEMS OF BUSINESS.
WE'LL BEGIN WITH AGENDA FEMMES
ONE THROUGH SIX, WHICH ARE THE
APPOINTMENTS TO THE REFEREE
COMMISSION.
SO THESE FINE FOLKS ARE GOING
TO WORK THEIR WAY UP TO THE
TABLE.
AS YOU DO THAT, I'LL ASK THE
CLERK TODAY TO PLEASE READ THE
SHORT TITLE INTO THE RECORD FOR
ALL STEMS ONE THINK 6;
APPOINTMENTS, 1503 THROUGH
1505.
AND DA NAYS GUERRA-HARVEY AS
MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION FOR A
TERM FROM JULY 31, 2020, AND
APPOINTMENT OF JOHNSON BACH
NGUYEN, AND APPOINTMENT TO
MEMBERS OF IMMIGRANT REFUGEE
COMMISSION, WITH TERMS TO JULY
31, 2021 AND REAPPOINTMENT OF
VANNIASINKAM TO A TEMPLE OF
JULY 31, 2021.
>> THANK YOU.
>>> ALL RIGHT.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND GO THROUGH A
QUICK ROUND OF INTRODUCTIONS
AND I'M GOING HAND IT OVER TO
KATHERINE FOR INTRODUCTORY
REMARKS AND WE'LL MOVE IT
FORWARD.
SO JUST FIRST AND LAST NAME.
FOR YOU, KATHERINE, YOUR TITLE.
>> I'M KATHERINE CORTES, I'M
THE FINANCIAL OFFICE MANAGER OF
IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE AFFAIRS.
>> JOHNSON NGUYEN.
>> ILAYS ADEN.
>> DENISE GUERRIER-HARVEY.
>> AND I'M ON THE STAFF FOR THE
COMMISSION.
>> AND MANUALWELL VAZQUEZ,
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
SPECIALIST.
>> GREAT.
WELCOME ALL TO THE TABLE THIS
MORNING.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING
FROM OUR NOMINEES SO KATHERINE,
WHY DON'T YOU GO AHEAD AND KICK
US OFF.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER.
I'LL JUST GIVE A VERY QUICK
INTRODUCTION OF THE FOUR
COMMISSIONER APPOINTEES THAT WE
HAVE WITH US HERE TODAY.
FIRST IS KAREN GAY MEZE.
SHE GRADUATED FROM THE
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON IN
2018 AFTER COMING TO THE
COUNTRY AT THE AINGE OF 3. SHE
HAS BEEN A LEADER OF THE
STUDENT ORGANIZATION PURPLE
GROUP WHERE SHE FUNDRAISED
SCHOLARSHIPS FOR UNDOCUMENTED
STUDENTS AND LEADERSHIP WITHOUT
BORDERS.
KAREN ALSO ORGANIZES AN ANNUAL
TOY DRIVE FOR PARENT WHOSE ARE
DETAINED IN THE TACOMA
IMMIGRATION DETENTION CENTER,
WHICH ASK NOW A SMALL COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATION CALLED RELIEF FOR
IMMIGRANT FAMILIES.
AND WE BELIEVE ALL OF OUR
COMMISSIONERS ARE GO TO BE
GREAT ADDITIONS, I'LL JUST SIGH
THAT OVERALL.
I SHOULD HAVE SAID THAT TO
BEGIN AND I JUST WANT TO GIVE
YOU ALLY BIT ABOUT THEM AND
THEN THEY WILL INTRODUCE
THEMSELVES.
SECOND UP WE HAVE DENISE
GUERRERO-HARVEY, THE PROUD
DAUGHTER OF MEXICAN IMMIGRANTS.
AS AN EDUCATION SPECIALIST SHE
HAS TAUGHT HISTORY TO HIGH
SCHOOL AND CURRENTLY SERVES AS
AN ACADEMICKED A VIER AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
WORKING WITH MANY IMMIGRANT AND
UNDOCUMENTED STUDENTS.
NEXT WE HAVE JOHNSON BACH
NGUYEN, BORN IN SAIGON,
VIETNAM.
JOHNSON MOVED TO SEATTLE IN
1997.
HE HAS A BACHELOR'S DEGREE AND
IS WORKING ON HIS MASTER'S IN
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION BOTH FROM
THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON.
HE HAS BEEN A STUPID LEADER OF
SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONS AN WORKED
AS A PRESCHOOLTEACHER FOLLOWING
HIS PASSION FOR INVESTING IN
EARLY EDUCATION.
AND FINALLY WITH US TODAY WE
HAVE ILAYS ADEN, A SOMALI-
AMERICAN ABOUT VISIT WHO CAME
TO THE U.S. AS A REFUGEE IN
1995.
SHE STUDIED AT THE UNIVERSITY
OF WASHINGTON AND AMERICAN
UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL.
ILAYS HAS WORKED LOCALLY IN
CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND IN A RAY
OF OTHER ACTIVITIES SUPPORTING
IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES.
SHE IS A CO-FOUNDER WITH EAT
WITH MUSLIMS PROJECT TO COUNTER
ISLAM PHOBIA AND A WINNER OF
THE CHAMPION OF JUSTICE AWARD.
>> GREAT.
OKAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING
WITH US.
SO WHY DON'T WE GO AHEAD AND
JUST GO DOWN THE LINE AND YOU
CAN TELL AWES LITTLE BIT MORE
ABOUT YOURSELF, ANYTHING YOU
ANY WE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT YOU.
WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE HAD ACCESS TO
YOUR MATERIALS AND WE'VE BOTH
READ THROUGH THOSE ARE AND ARE
REALLY FAMILIAR WITH YOUR
QUALIFICATIONS AND MAKE CERTAIN
THAT YOU ARE ALL VERY HIGHLY
QUALIFIED TO SERVE ON THIS
COMMISSION.
JUST GIVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE
CONTEXT ABOUT WHO YOU ARE AND
WHAT YOU HOPE TO BE ABLE TO
ACCOMPLISH OBJECT THE
COMMISSION ONCE YOU'RE
APPOINTED.
>> SHOULD WE START WITH YOU?
>> HI.
SO, AGAIN, I'M JOHNSON NGUYEN.
I'LL BE WRAPPING UP MY FIRST
YEAR WITH IMMIGRANT REFUGEE
COMMISSION, AND I'M LOOKING TO
JOIN FOR ANOTHER TERM OF TWO
YEARS.
WHEN I FIRST GOT ON THE
COMMISSION IRREALLY BELIEVED IN
PUBLIC SERVICE AND THE POWER OF
LOCAL POLITICS TO BE ABLE TO
EMPOWER AND RAISE UP THE LOCAL
IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE
COMMISSION.
IN THE PAST YEAR I FEEL LIKE
ALL OF THAT WAS CONFIRMED
AGAIN, NOT ONLY FROM THE WORK
IN THE CITY, BUT FROM THE FOLKS
I GOT THE CHANCE TO WORK WITH
ON THE COMMISSION.
THEY WERE ALL INCREDIBLY
INTELLIGENT, GRATEFUL.
HAD SO MUCH POISE IN THE WAY
THEY PRESENTED THEMSELVES AND
THE WAY THEY ENGAGED NOT ONLY
WITH CITY OFFICIALS OR WITH
DEPARTMENTS, BUT WITH THE
COMMUNITIES THEMSELVES.
AND SO I'M JUST ON THE
COMMISSION AGAIN TO REALLY
CONTINUE ON THAT PATH AND TO
REALLY HOLD MY BELIEF THAT
IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE COMMUNITY
MEMBERS HAVE A RIGHT TO, HAPPY
AND FULFILLING LIVES.
>> THANK YOU, JOHNSON.
I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
>> HELLO, MY NAME IS ILAYS
AGAIN.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
GONZALEZ AND OUR AWESOME GROUP.
>> YES.
>> I REALLY WANT TO JOIN THIS
COMMISSION BECAUSE AS A SEW
MOLLY AMERICAN, AS SOMEBODY WHO
HAS BEEN HERE IN THE SEATTLE
REGION FOR 15 YEARS AND SEEN
THE EXTREME CHANGE, I CAN ONLY
IMAGINE IF YOU HAVE BEEN HERE
LONGER, BUT I REALLY WANT TO
MAKE SURE THAT I'M LIFTING UP
THE VOICES OF MY COMMUNITY AND
MAKING SURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE
THE SILOS AMONGst ALL OF OUR
IMMIGRANT REFUGEE COMMUNITIES.
HOW CAN WE SHARE INFORMATION,
RAISE UP VOICES, USE MY LEGAL
EXPERTISE TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE
MORE ACCESS TO HOUSING,
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, A LOT OF
COMMUNITIES ARE FACING THE
EFFECTS OF POLLUTION AND
CLIMATE CHANGE AND I WANT TO
MAKE SURE I'M SERVING, AND THIS
IS A REALLY IMPORTANT STEP TO
MAKING SURE THAT I HAVE -- I
HAVE THE ABILITY TO BRING UP MY
PEOPLES, SO, YES, THANK YOU.
>> THAT IS GREAT.
THANK YOU.
>> HI.
AND SO I THINK THAT -- I
MENTIONED IN MY BIOI WAS BORN
IN MEXICO AND I CAME TO THE
U.S. AT A YOUNG AGE.
I LIVED IN CALIFORNIA FOR MANY
YEARS AND LIVED IN WASHINGTON
FOR MANY YEARS, PREDOMINANTLY
IN THE KENT AREA.
I HAVE ALWAYS LIVED IN VERY
DIVERSE SPACES OR VERY LATINO
OR PLACES FROM AROUND THE WORLD
AND I THINK GROWING UP IN A LOW-
INCOME AREA WITH LOW-INCOME
PARENTS, I THINK I HAVE WORKED
IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT JOBS, SO
I HAVE WORKED CLEANING HOUSES.
I HAVE WORKED IN HOUSEKEEPING
HOTELS.
I HAVE WORKED IN A HOTEL.
I HAVE WORKED CLEANING
AIRPLANES AT THE AIRPORT, AND I
THINK THROUGHOUT MY WORK
EXPERIENCE I HAVE ALWAYS SEEN
AND IN MY FAMILY AND MY
COMMUNITY I HAVE ALWAYS SEEN
THE LACK OF ACCESS FROM A LOT
OF COMMUNITY RESOURCES AND
RESOURCES IN GENERAL.
I ALWAYS THOUGHT IT WAS SO
IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS
WORKING RIGHTS, LABOR RIGHTS
AND ACCESS TO LEGAL REPUTATION.
AS THE OLDEST DAUGHTER, I WAS
ALWAYS THE TRANSLATOR, THE
INTERPRETER, SOCIAL WORKER,
RIGHT, SO I ALWAYS FELT THAT IT
WAS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR MYSELF
TO BE OPEN ABOUT MY
UNDOCUMENTED STATUS BECAUSE IF
I DIDN'T DO IT, I WOULDN'T BE
ABLE TO ACCESS RESOURCES FOR MY
FAMILY AND FOR MY COMMUNITY,
BUT I GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL AT
13 AND I THINK THAT HAS REALLY
SHAPED MY EXPERIENCE.
BUT IN GENERAL, OVERALL I JUST
WANT TO SEE MORE PRESENTATION,
I WANT TO SEE PEOPLE IN
COMMISSION THAT ARE ACTUALLY IN
THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY'RE
SERVING, AND I HOPE TO SEE --
BE ABLE TO HELP MY COMMUNITY
AND PROVIDE MORE RESOURCES FOR
THEM.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>>> HI.
GOOD MORNING.
>> GOOD MORNING.
>> I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT MYSELF AND WHY
I WANT TO BE ON THIS
COMMISSION.
SO I AM THE PROUD DAUGHTER OF
MEXICAN IMMIGRANTS, AND I
PARENTS ARRIVED IN THIS COUNTRY
40 YEARS AGO, AND THEY WERE
UNDOCUMENTED, AND I DIDN'T KNOW
THIS UNTIL I WAS MUCH, MUCH
OLDER.
MY PARENTS WERE FORTUNATE
ENOUGH TO BECOME RESIDENTS AND
THEN LATER CITIZENS.
BUT THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER
FAMILY MEMBERS OF MINE THAT
DIDN'T HAVE THAT PRIVILEGE.
SO I KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE TO
LIVE IN A MIXED IMMIGRATION TOO
TOC FAMILY, AND I ALSO
UNDERSTAND THE FEAR THAT MANY
FOLKS CONTINUE TO LIVE WITH
TODAY GIVEN OUR CURRENT
POLITICAL CLIMATE.
ON A PROFESSIONAL LEVEL I HAVE
BEEN VERY INTENTIONAL OF
WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH
IMMIGRANT REFUGEE COMMUNITIES,
BOTH DOCUMENTS AND
UNDOCUMENTED.
AS A HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER AND AS
A CURRENT COLLEGE ADVISOR, MY
FOCUS HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO WORK
AND HELP STUDENTS AS A WHOLE,
RIGHT.
BECAUSE A STUDENT CANNOT BE
SUCCESSFUL IN A CLASSROOM IF
THEY ARE WORRIED ABOUT WHERE
THEY'RE GOING TO LIVE, WHERE
THEY'RE GO DOG EAT, AND WHAT IS
GOING TO HAPPEN TO THEIR
FAMILIES.
AND SO I HAVE DEDICATED MY LIFE
TO BE ABLE TO ASSIST AND TO
REMOVE BARRIERS WHEN POSSIBLE
AND TO ADVOCATE WHEN POSSIBLE
AND TO CONNECT MY STUDENTS AND
THEIR FAMILIES WITH RESOURCES.
SO STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES
ARE ABLE TO SUCCEED AND REACH
THEIR ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL
GOALS.
THIS WORK IS PERSONAL, RIGHT,
AND POLITICAL.
AND IF I CAN BE OF SERVICE.
IF I CAN LEND WHO I AM AND I'M
HAPPY AND HONORED TO DO IT, I
REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING
WITH THE COMMISSION AND I KNOW
THAT TOGETHER WE CAN SUPPORT
AND EMPOWER AND STRENGTHEN OUR
IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE
COMMUNITIES IN THE CITY OF
SEATTLE.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
WELL SAID.
SO AS WE CAN TELL, THERE IS --
THIS IS A VERY QUALIFIED AND
MOTIVATED GROUP OF CANDIDATES
FOR US TO CONSIDER TODAY.
I AM REALLY EXCITED TO BE ABLE
TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO
THAT BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR
AND I JUST WANT TO TAKE A
MOMENT TO OPEN UP AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR QUESTIONS IF
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN, IF YOU
HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS,
I WOULD WELCOME THOSE NOW.
>> GOOD MORNING.
>> JUST COMMENTS.
WE REVIEWED ALL OF YOUR
BACKGROUND MATERIALS AND LIKE
CHAIR GONZALEZ SAID.
VERY QUALIFIED.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS
TO SERVE.
THE COMMISSION IS REALLY
IMPORTANT A LOT OF THE BEST
IDEAS ORIGINATE FROM THE BOARDS
AND THE COMMISSIONS THAT WE
HAVE, SO I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR
SERVICE AND WOULD LIKE TO, YOU
KNOW, MOVE THE FIRST SIX ITEMS
ON THE AGENDA FOR APPROVAL.
>> GREAT.
>> SECOND.
>> AND ANY OTHER INFORMATION WE
SHOULD CONSIDER BEFORE WE --
BEFORE I CALL THIS TO A VOTE?
>> NO, I DON'T BELIEVE SO.
>> GREAT.
WELL, THANK YOU SO ALL SO MUCH
FOR BEING WITH US.
I WILL GO AHEAD AND CALL THIS
FOR A VOTE.
ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
>> AYE.
>> ANY OPPOSED?
NO OPPOSITION.
THE AYES HAVE IT.
SO YOUR NOMINATION ALSO MOVE
FORWARD TO THE FULL COUNCIL
THIS MONDAY, DECEMBER 16th.
YEAH!
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> THANK YOU.
>> AND YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE
PRESENT ON MONDAY, SO PLEASE
DON'T FEEL COMPELLED TO JOIN US
AT 2:00 P.M.
AT THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING ON
MONDAY, BUT WE WILL CONSIDER IT
AT THAT TIME.
AND I EXPECT THAT IT WILL QUO
GO THROUGH WITH FLYING COLORS.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.
MORE IMPORTANTLY FOR YOUR
WILLINGNESS TO SERVE.
THIS IS -- RAHS WE LOOK THROUGH
YOUR RESUMES, WE KNOW THAT THIS
ISY ANOTHER WAY FOR YOU TO
SERVE BECAUSE MANY OF YOU HAVE
BEEN SERVING AND ADVOCATING FOR
THE IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE
COMMUNITY IN OUR CITY AND
ACROSS THE STATE FOR MUCH
LONGER THAN THIS PERIOD OF
TIME, AND SO I REALLY WANT TO
RECOGNIZE AND APPRECIATE THE
WORK THAT YOU ALL DO AND THE
EXPERIENCES AND CONVERSATION
YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE CAN BE
A WELCOMING CITY AND HOW WE CAN
INVEST IN OUR IMMIGRANT AND
REFUGEE COMMUNITIES TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE ARE EMPOWERED AND
RESILIENT AND ARE ABLE TO
ADVOCATE FOR OURSELVES AND OUR
FAMILIES AND OUR NEEDS.
IT IS SUCH CRITICALLY IMPORTANT
WORK AND WE KNOW THAT 2020 IS
NOT GOING TO BE AN EXCEPTION.
IT IS PART OF THE REASON WHY I
WAS REALLY EXCITED TO WORK WITH
MEMBERS OF THE IMGRANT REFUGEE
COMMUNITY WHO REALLY
HIGHLIGHTED THE NEED FOR
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO BE ABLE
TO DO SOME OF THAT EMPOWERMENT
AND ADVOCACY WORK.
I WAS REALLY EXCITED TO HAVE
THE FULL COUNCIL SUPPORT OF THE
$375,000 INVESTMENT TO GO
DIRECTLY TOWARDS THOSE EVIDENTS
AND REALLY APPRECIATE THE
PARTNERSHIP AND GREAT THINKING
IN MAKING SURE THAT WE GET
THOSE INVESTMENTS RIGHT SO THAT
IT IS THE BEST USE OF DOLLARS
FOR THE BEST PURPOSE AND THE
GREATEST NEEDS.
SO LOOKING FORWARD TO MAKING
SURE THAT THE COMMISSION IS
AWARE OF THAT INVESTMENT AND
THAT WE HAVE THE BENEFIT OF
YOUR EXPERTISE AS WE TIP TO
DEVELOP THAT PROGRAM.
SO THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR
BEING WITH US.
>> THEY.
>> THANK YOU.
>> OKAY.
SO WE ARE GOING TO TRANSITION
INTO OUR LAST AGENDA ITEM,
WHICH IS THE CLEAN CAMPAIGNS
ACT.
IF YOU ARE HERE TO PRESENT ON
THIS ISSUE, I'D INVITE YOU TO
JOIN US AT THE TABLE, WHILE V.
READ THIS IS INTO THE RECORD.
>> AGENDA NUMBER #. ABORDER
RELATED TO ELECTIONS, LIMITING
INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURES BY
FOREIGN-INFLUENCED CORPORATIONS
AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO
INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURE
COMMITTEES AND COLLAR PHIING
REPORTING REQUIREMENTS,
AMENDING SECTIONS.
>> YOU'RE GOING TO KICK US OFF,
RIGHT, ACCOMPLISH?
YOU'RE GOING TO RUN THE POWER
POINT PRESENTATION IF THERE IS
ONE?
>> YES.
>> I THINK THERE IS ONE.
>> EXCELLENT.
>> ALL RIGHT.
THERE WE GO.
OKAY.
AS FOLKS SETTLE IN, LET'S START
WITH A ROUND OF INTRODUCTIONS.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE NOT
BEEN AT THE TABLE BEFORE, YOU
HAVE TO MAKE SURE THE
MICROPHONE GETS CLOSE TO YOUR
VOICE.
YOUR MICROPHONES SHOULD BE ON
AND IF THEY ARE OH NOT
PROJECTING TRANSACTION IS IS A
GRAY BUTTON ON THE STEM AND THE
GREEN LIGHT WILL BE ON AND THAT
WILL SIGNAL TO YOU THAT IT IS
ON.
SO LET'S DO A QUICK ROUND OF
INTRODUCTIONS AND THEN I'M
GOING T HAND IT OFFENSE TO
LISH, WHO IS GOING TO WALK US
THROUGH A PRESENTATION ON THE
NUTS AND BOLTS OF THIS BILL.
PLEASE.
>> I'M RON FEIN.
I'M THE LEGAL DIRECT O. OF FREE
SPEECH FOR PEEP, A NATIONAL NON-
PARTISAN ORGANIZATION, NON-
PROFIT.
>> I'M JOHN BONIFAZ.
I'M THE PRESIDENT FOR SPEECH
FOR PEOPLE.
>> I'M CINDY BLACK, THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF FIX
DEMOCRACY FIRST.
>> AND LISH WHITSON, COUNCIL
CENTRAL STAFF.
>> AND I'M ALBERT AL SURE,
UNIVERSITY OF CRIMINOLOGY,
UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO LAW
SCHOOL.
>> I WILL MAKE SURE WE
INTRODUCE EYE FOLKS ON THE
PHONE AS SOON AS LISH IS DONE
WITH HIS PRESENTATION.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND ASK THOSE
WHO ARE JOINING US OBJECT THE
PHONE TO UNMUTE THEMSELVES SO
THAT THEY CAN INTRODUCE
THEMSELVES AND WE CAN BEGIN
WITH AN EXPERT PANEL
PRESENTATION FROM FOLK WHOSE
ARE JOINING US OBJECT THE
PHONE.
SO WHY DON'T WE GO AHEAD AND
GET GOING WITH LISH, AND THEN
AT THE CONCLUSION OF HIS
PRESENTATION WE'LL GO AHEAD AND
TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE IF
ANY OF US HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS, AND THEN I WILL OPEN
IT UP FOR THE FOLKS ON THE
PHONE.
LISH?
>> GREAT.
AND I'M GOING TO RUSH THROUGH
THIS.
PLEASE STOP ME IF YOU HAVE
QUESTIONS, BUT REALLY THE
PURPOSE OF TODAY'S BRIEFING IS
TO HEAR FROM THE EXPERTS.
>> YES.
>> JUST SO YOU KNOW,
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN, LISH IS
A FAST TALKER.
>> SO I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT
EXISTING CONDITIONS, WHAT WE
SAW IN TERPS OF CONTRIBUTIONS
AND EXPENDITURES IN 2019 AND
SEATTLE'S CURRENT CAMPAIGN
FINANCE REGULATIONS AND THEN
WHAT THE CLEAN CAMPAIGNS ACT
INCLUDES.
THE FLEX TWO SLIDES PRESENT A
SNAP SHOT ON CAMPAIGN SPENDING.
THE FINAL FILING DATE FOR THE
2019 ELECTION SEASON WAS
YESTERDAY.
THEY DO NOT REFLECT THE FINAL
NUMBERS ANDLY UPDATE THEM WHEN
WE HAVE THE FINAL NUMBERS.
THIS TABLE COMPARES SPENDING
FOR AND AGAINST GENERAL
ELECTION CANDIDATES OVER THE
LAST 10 YEARS, AND, AS YOU CAN
SEE, 2019, WE SAW A SIGNIFICANT
INCREASE IN INDEPENDENT
EXPENDITURES IN SEATTLE
CAMPAIGNS.
IN 2011, THERE WERE NO
INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURES.
THIS YEAR THERE WAS OVER $4
MILLION SPENT ON GENERAL
ELECTION CAMPAIGNS, MORE THAN
THAT SPENT ON ALL CAMPAIGNS,
INCLUDING PEOPLE WHO DO NOT
PROCEED PAST THE PRIMARY.
AND THAT WAS LED BY CIVIC
ALLIANCE FOR A SOUND ECONOMY,
BUT MANY OTHER PACTS ALSO
RECEIVED SIGNIFICANT
CONTRIBUTIONS.
AND THE CASE OR ECONOMY
CONTRIBUTIONS AND EXPENDITURES
WERE LED BY DONATIONS FROM ONE
CORPORATION.
OUR CAMPAIGN LAWS INCLUDE A
NUMBER OF KEY TERMS THAT ARE
TERMS OF ART FOR ELECTION LAWS.
I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH
THESE, BUTTY KNOW THAT, FOR
EXAMPLE, A PERSON HAS A VERY
BROAD -- PERSON HAS A VERY
BROAD DEFINITION WHEN WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT CAMPAIGN FINANCE
REGULATIONS.
SEATTLE HAS CAMPAIGN
CONTRIBUTION LIMITS THAT DEPEND
ON WHETHER OR NOT A CANDIDATE
WANTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE THE
DEMOCRACY VOUCHER PROGRAM.
CANDIDATES NOT COLLECTING
DEMOCRACY VOUCHERS CAN RECEIVE
CONTRIBUTIONS UP TO $500 AND
MOST CANDIDATES WHO DO
PARTICIPATE IN THE DEMOCRACY
VOUCHER PROGRAM HAVE A LIMIT OF
$250.
THERE ARE NO LIMITS ON
CONTRIBUTIONS TO YOUR POLITICAL
COMMITTEES RATHER THAN
CANDIDATES.
HAS NO CURRENT REGULATIONS, TO
FOREIGN CONTRIBUTIONS, BUT
FEDERAL LAW DOES PROVIDE SOME
RESTRICTIONS ON FOREIGN
DONATIONS.
SUBSIDIARIES, FOREIGN
CONTRIBUTIONS ARE ELIGIBLE TO
CONTRIBUTE, AND THERE IS NO
RESTRICTION BASED ON THE
FOREIGN OWNERSHIP OF A COMPANY
OUTSIDE OF THE FEDERAL
REGULATIONS.
ADVERTISERS TAKING MONEY FOR
COMMERCIAL ADVERTISEMENTS FOR
POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS MUST
MAINTAIN DOCUMENTS AND BOOKS
AND ACCOUNT FOR THREE YEARS
FROM THE TIME OF THE ELECTION.
AND OUR SEATTLE ETHICS AND
ELECTIONS COMMISSION ENFORCES
OUR REGULATIONS.
THERE IS A FINE OF UP TO $5,000
AND RETURN OF CONTRIBUTION FOR
MOST CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION
REGULATION VIOLATIONS, ILLEGAL
CONTRIBUTION CANS RESULT IN
FINES OF UP TO TWO TIMES THE
CONTRIBUTION AMOUNT OR $5,000
AND RETURN OF THE CONTRIBUTION,
WHICH EVER IS GREATER.
IF A COURT FINDS THAT THE
VIOLATION PROBABLY AFFECTED THE
ELECTION THEN MOST SIGNIFICANT
IMPACT WOULD BE OVERTURNING
THAT ELECTION.
THE CLEAN CAMPAIGNS ACT ADDED A
NUMBER OF NEW DEFINITIONS TO
THE CODE, AND THEN REGULATIONS
THAT RELY ON THOSE DEFINITIONS,
IN PARTICULAR INDEPENDENT
EXPENDITURE COMMITTEES ARE
REGULATED.
THERE'S NOT A DISTINCTION IN
THE CURRENT CODE BETWEEN
POLITICAL COMMITTEES THEY
CONTRIBUTE TO CANDIDATES AND
INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURE
COMMITTEES.
AND THERE'S A NEW CONCEPT A
LIMITED CONTRIBUTION COMMITTEE
WHICH IS A POLITICAL COMMITTEE
WHICH RECEIVE AS LARGE NUMBER
OF SMALL DONOR CONTRIBUTIONS.
THE PROPOSED CLEAN CAMPAIGNS
ACT WOULD LIMIT CONTRIBUTIONS
TO AN INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURE
COMMITTEES FOR SEATTLE
CAMPAIGNS UP TO $5,000 PER
PERSON.
THERE WOULD BE NO LIMIT ON
CONTRIBUTIONS FROM LIMITED
CONTRIBUTOR COMMITTEES, BUT,
AGAIN, THOSE COMMITTEES HAVE
LIMITS ON HOW MUCH PEOPLE CAN
CONTRIBUTE TO THEM.
A NUMBER OF NEW DEFINITIONS
RELATESSED TO FOREIGN
INFLUENCED CORPORATIONS, AND
THE CLEAN CAMPAIGNS ACT STATES
THAT FOREIGN INFLUENCE
CORPORATIONS MAY NOT MAKE
INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURES OR
CONTRIBUTE TO INDEPENDENT
EXPENDITURE COMMITTEES.
AND CORPORATIONS THAT ARE
SEEKING TO CONTRIBUTE TO AN
INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURE
COMMITTEE MUST DECLARE THAT
THEY'RE NOT FOREIGN INFLUENCED.
THE CLEAN CAMPAIGNS ACT ALSO
INCLUDES A NEW REPORTING
REQUIREMENT, EXPANDS THE AMOUNT
OF INFORMATION THAT A
COMMERCIAL ADVERTISER MUST KEEP
ON RECORD RELATED TO COMMERCIAL
ADVERTISING AND WHO HAS PLACED
IT, AND IT OUGHTEDDED -- ADD AS
NEW DEFINITION FOR QUALIFIED
PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS, WHICH
ARE POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENTS
THAT OCCUR OUTSIDE OF THE
ELECTION CONTACTS AND ARE
SPENDED TO INFLUENCE
LEGISLATION.
ANY QUESTIONS?
>> ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU, LISH, FOR THAT
PRESENTATION.
AND THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR
COUNCILMEMBERS, AND I WANT TO
WELCOME COUNCILMEMBER BAGSHAW
FOR BEING HERE.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR
LISH AS THE BILL INTRODUCED OR
THE EXISTING FRAMEWORK OF OUR
CAMPAIGN LAWS?
NO QUESTIONS?
OKAY.
LISH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE
PRESENTATION.
I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
I KNOW THAT WE WILL HAVE A
SPECIAL COMMITTEE MEETING NEXT
WEEK, SO WE WILL HAVE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO CUE UP ANY
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR EYE
DEPARTMENT PHI ISSUES FOR
DISCUSSION AT NEXT WEEK'S
SPECIAL COMMITTEE MEETING.
>> AND WHAT TIME IS THAT?
>> THAT WILL BE DECEMBER 19th
AT 9:30 IN THE MORNING.
OKAY?
SO THAT WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY,
COWBOY SILL MEMBERS, FOR YOU TO
WORK DIRECTLY WITH LISH OBJECT
EYE DEPARTMENT PHIING ANY
POTENTIAL ISSUES THAT COULD BE
SUED -- CUED UP WITH POTENTIAL
OPTIONS FOR AMENDMENT
CONSIDERATIONS, WHICH WILL BE
TAKEN UP ON JANUARY #. SO LISH
IS AT THE READY AND I REALLY
WANT TO APPRECIATE HIS WORK
THUS FAR ON THIS BILL.
HE EVEN HELPED SUPPORT SOME OF
THE WORK WE WERE DOING WITH THE
SEATTLE ETHICS AND ELECTION
COMMISSION DURING THE BUDGET
PROCESS AND I REALLY APPRECIATE
THE FACT THAT HE WAS DOING
DOUBLE DUTY AT THAT POINT AT
WELL, SO THANK YOU, LISH.
OKAY.
SO WE ARE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND
BEGIN OUR EXPERT PANEL
CONVERSATION NOW.
WE HAVE A FEW FOLKS OBJECT THE
PHONE.
THERE THEY ARE.
WE WILL GO AHEAD AND DO A QUICK
ROUND OF INTRODUCTIONS FROM OUR
GUESTS OBJECT THE PHONE.
WE'RE GOING TO START WITH
COWBOY SILL MEMBER RICE.
SO COUNCILMEMBER RICE, WHY
DON'T YOU GO AHEAD AND
INTRODUCE YOURSELF FIRST AND
THEN WALK US THROUGH YOUR
REMARKS A WE'LL CONTINUE
THROUGH THE LINE OF OUR OTHER
SPECIAL GUEST WHICH IS IS THE
FEDERAL ELECTIONS COMMISSIONER,
COMMISSIONER WEINTRAUB AND WE
ALSO HAVE PROFESSOR COATES.
COUNCILMEMBER RICE, THANK YOU
SO MUCH FOR JOINING US AND FOR
THE WORK YOU DID IN ST. PETE
AND WE JUST HAVE TO MAKE SURE
THAT YOU ARE UNMUTED SO WE CAN
HEAR YOU.
>> THERE YOU ARE.
WE CAN HEAR YOU NOW.
>> THANK YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, CON SILL
MEMBER GONZALEZ, AND FOR THE
TESTIMONY, AND THE OTHER PEOPLE
WHO ARE CALLING IN AND SITTING
AT THE TABLE.
MANY OF YOU ARE PEOPLE WHO WE
WORKED WITH BEFORE HERE IN ST.
PETERSBURG AND IT IS NICE TO
SEE THE FAMILIAR FACES.
I'M DARDEN RICE.
I AM ON MY SECOND -- MIDWAY
THROUGH MY SECOND TERM ON CITY
COUNCIL ANOTHER THE CITY OF ST.
PETERSBURG IN FLORIDA.
WE ARE -- WHAT I WILL BE
TALKING ABOUT TODAY IS OUR
EFFORTS IN THE YEAR AND A HALF
EFFORTS THAT WE WENT THROUGH TO
IT MATILY PASS OUR ORDINANCE --
ULTIMATELY PASS OUR ORDINANCE
WHICH IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE
ONE THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT
TODAY.
SO I LOOK FORWARD AFTER WE GO
THROUGH THE ROUND OF
INTRODUCTIONS TALKING ABOUT
WHAT WE DID HERE IN ST. PETE
AND ANSWERING ANY QUESTIONS
WITH OUR OWN ANTI-SUPER PACT
CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM
EFFORTS.
>> WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO JUST
INTRODUCE MYSELF OR DO YOU WANT
MY OPENING STATEMENT NOW?
>> LET'S ZO AN INTRODUCTION.
>> SHE DIDN'T HEAR YOU.
>> MY NAME IS ELLEN WEINTRAUB.
I'M THE CHAIR OF THE FEDERAL
ELECTION COMMISSION.
>> AND MAYBE TO COMPLETE THE
INTRODUCTIONS, I'M PROFESSOR
JOHN COATES AT HARVARD LAW
SCHOOL AND I HAVE FOCUSED ON
CORPORATE LAW PRINCIPALLY IN MY
CAREER AND HAVE ONLY IN THE
LAST, WELL, 10 OR 15 YEARS BEEN
SORT OF DRAGGED WHAT
RELUCTANTLY INTO COMMISSIONER
WEINTRAUB'S WORLD BECAUSE
CORPORATIONS USED TO BE
RELUCTANT TO ENTER INTO
CAMPAIGN FINANCE AND AS YOU
KNOW, THEY ARE INCREASINGLY
UNFORTUNATELY ACTIVE AND SO THE
INTERSECTION OF THE TWO WORLDS
IS WHERE I FIND MYSELF
INCREASINGLY.
SO HAPPY TO BE HERE.
THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME.
>> OKAY.
AND THEN WE WANT TO DO ONE LAST
INTRODUCTION.
DID COMMISSIONER GO?
>> SORRY.
I HAD TO STEP OUT FOR JUST A
MOMENT.
SO WE'LL GO BACK TO
COUNCILMEMBER RICE SO THAT WE
CAN HEAR FROM YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER, ON YOUR
EXPERIENCES LEADING THIS EFFORT
IN ST. PETE.
FAKE IT AWAY.
>> ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
SO FOR THOSE OF YOU, JUST FOR A
LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND, ST.
PETERSBURG IS ON THE WEST COAST
OF FLORIDA.
WE ARE SORT OF A SISTER CITY TO
TAMPA AND PART OF THE TAMPA BAY
REGION.
WE'RE THE FIFTH LARGEST IN
FLORIDA.
WE HAVE A POPULATION OF 2
60,000.
A LOT OF PEOPLE DESCRIBE US
THAT WE'RE ST. PETERSBURG TO
FLORIDA IS LIKE AUSTIN IS TO
TEXAS.
WE HAVE A STRONG FORM OF GO AND
WE HAVE EIGHT CITY COUNCIL
MEMBERS, EACH OF US WHO HAVE --
ARE INDIVIDUAL DISTRICTS THAT
WE TAKE RESIDENCE IN, BUT WE'RE
ALL ELECTED IN THE CITYWIDE
GENERAL ELECTION.
AND PRIOR TO GETTING ELECTED TO
COUNCIL BACK IN 2013, I WAS THE
PRESIDENT OF THE LEAGUE OF
WOMEN VOTERS OF ST. PETERSBURG,
AND I HELD THAT POSITION FOR A
NUMBER OF YEARS.
SO I BRING A PRETTY STRONG
BACKGROUND AND SOLID COMMITMENT
TO GOOD GOVERNMENT ISSUES, FAIR
AND CLEAN ELECTIONS, VOTER
PROTECTION, VOTER REGISTRATION,
AND CITIZEN PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.
SO I CAME INTO OFFICE AS A
PRETTY STRONG -- YOUR BASIC
GOOD DEMOCRACY NERD.
ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I
STARTED WORKING ON WAS ACTUALLY
TO LIMIT THE -- TO REDUCE THE
MAXIMUM CONTRIBUTION CAP, WHICH
WAS -- WELL, AT THE TIME THE
STATE OF FLORIDA HAD ALLOWED
THE MAXIMUM CONTRIBUTION TO
LOCAL ELECTIONS BE INCREASED
FROM $500 THO $1,000 PER
ENTITY.
I THOUGHT IT WAS PRETTY MODEST
REFORM PROPOSED THAT WE
ACTUALLY PULL THAT BACK DOWN TO
$500 -- THE $500 CAP.
WE ALSO LOOKED AT ISSUES SUCH
AS DIFFERENT TYPES OF PUBLIC
FINANCING OF ELECTIONS AND OUR
OWN VOUCHER PROGRAM, AND
UNFORTUNATELY, ALTHOUGH ALL OF
THESE IDEAS WERE POE LIGHTLY
RECEIVED, -- POLITELY RECEIVED,
THEY DIED ON THE VINE AND IT
WAS DEVIL FOR ME TO GET THE
MAJORITY -- DIFFICULT FOR ME TO
GET THE MAJORITY SUPPORT I
NEEDED FROM MY COLLEAGUES.
THE POINT WAS WHAT WOULD BE THE
POINT IN ENACTING ANY OF THESE
LOCAL MEASURES IF IT WAS SO
EASY FOR SOMEONE TO JUST SIMPLY
GO AROUND THOSE LOCAL LAWS AND
CONTRIBUTE UNLIMITED AMOUNTS TO
A SUPER PAC.
SO I GAVE THAT AUTO ALSO OF
THOUGHT AND WE ENDED UP COMING
UP LATER WITH THIS INTRODUCTION
OF THE ORDINANCE TO INFLUENCE
BIG MONEY AND SUPER PACS IN
LOCAL ELECTIONS.
AND IN AUGUST OF 2014 OUR
COUNCIL U NASH MOUSILY
SUPPORTED -- UNANIMOUSLY
SUPPORTED A LEGISLATION TO MOVE
TO AMEND, AND THAT WAS AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO EXPRESS
OUR VALUES ABOUT THE WAY WE
FELT ABOUT OUR POSITION ON
CITIZENS UNITED AND BIG MONEY
IN POLITICS.
AND THIS RESOLUTION ULTIMATELY
BECAME THE VARIOUS ACT OF
ORGANIZING TOOL.
I WAS ABLE TO LATER WORK WITH
THE SAME GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO
BROUGHT THE RESOLUTION TO US,
AND THIS SAME GROUP OF
COMMUNITY LEADERS ALSO
CONNECTED ME TO THE GREAT
PEOPLE, FREE SPEECH FOR PEOPLE.
AND FREE SPEECH FOR PEOPLE WAS
DEFINITELY ALIGNED WITH THE
PEOPLE IN MY COMMUNITY, THE
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS, MYSELF
ON WHAT WE WANTED TO DO FOR
CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM, AND
THEY HELPED PROVIDE INVALUABLE
ASSISTANCE IN CRAFTING A
LEGALLY SOUND ORDINANCE AS WELL
AS CONNECTING US TO SUBJECT
MATTER EXPERTS, SOME OF THE
BEST LEGAL MINDS IN THE
COUNTRY, AND, INDEED, MANY OF
THE PEOPLE THAT YOU HAVE ON
THERE WITH YOU TODAY TO HELP US
ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT WE
HAD ABOUT THE PROCESS OF
PASSING THIS ORDINANCE.
WE SPENT ABOUT 15 MONTHS
DELIBERATING THIS ORDINANCE.
WE HAD MULTIPLE MEETINGS.
TWO COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE, TO
PUBLIC HEARINGS, A NUMBER OF
COMMUNITYWIDE PANEL
DISCUSSIONS, INCLUDING A PANEL
DISCUSSION AT OUR LOCAL LAW
SCHOOL.
WE HAD A GROUP OF OUR CITIZENS,
DOZENS OF CITIZENS WHO CAME IN
TO SPEAK AT OPEN FORUM TO
EXPRESS SUPPORT FOR THE BILL
AND WHY, AND WE -- AND WE WERE
JOINED BY VERY STRONG COMMUNITY
SUPPORT ORGANIZED BY OUR
NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, THE
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS, SCI U.,
AND A NUMBER OF ENVIRONMENTAL
ORGANIZATIONS AND SOCIAL
SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS.
IN ST. PETE'S CASE, WE PASSED
OUR ORDINANCE, AND WE SAW THE
THREAT THAT SUPER PACS AND THE
CORRUPTION OF BIG MONEY
BRINGING TO THE NATIONAL AND
THE STATE LEVEL, AND WE DIDN'T
-- WE DECIDED IT WAS REALLY A
MATTER OF TIME BEFORE IT WAS
GOING TO LAND AT OUR DOOR.
SO WE THOUGHT IT WAS PRUDENT TO
TAKE A PROACTIVE -- TO TAKE
PROACTIVE MEASURES TO KEEP BIG
MONEY OUT OF OUR LOCAL
ELECTIONS.
IN FACT, AT THE VERY SAME TIME
THAT OUR COUNCIL WAS
DELIBERATING ON FINGERPRINT
BACK -- EXCUSE ME, FINGERPRINT
BACKGROUND CHECKS FOR UBER
DRIVERS, UBER WAS PUTTING $9
MILLION INTO A ORGANIZATION IN
AUSTIN, TEXAS TO ALMOST
OVERTURN THE SAME ORDINANCE
THAT THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL
HAD PASSED.
SO AS WE WORKED WITH OUR
COMMUNITY, IT WAS VERY CLEAR
THAT FROM EVERY CORNER OF THE
COMMUNITY PEOPLE EXPRESSED TO
US THAT WE DIDN'T WANT OUR
HEALTH AND REGULATIONS TO BE
WRITTEN BY AIRBNB.
WE DIDN'T WANT OUR PUBLIC
SAFETY LAWS TO BE WRITTEN BY
UBER OR FOR THE NRA FOR THAT
MATTER, AND WE DIDN'T WANT OUR
-- SOME OF OUR TOOLS TO ADDRESS
AFFORDABLE HOUSING, SUCH AS
INCLUSION ZONING TO BE KIND OF
WIPED OUT BY THE INFLUENCE OF
THE REALTORS' ORGANIZATION.
WE ALSO FEND ON TOURISM.
WE DON'T HAVE A STATE INCOME
TAX, SO WE DEFINITELY DON'T
WANT TO SEE THE FOSSIL FUEL
INDUSTRY WRITING THE LAWS THAT
PROTECT US AND PROTECT OUR
CLEAN SHORES FROM THE THREAT OF
OFF-SHORE OIL DRILLING.
SO WE -- SO IT WAS CLEAR THERE
WERE LOOPHOLE INS IN THE
FEDERAL LAWS THAT ENABLED US TO
FULLY PROTECT OURSELVES FROM
THE INFLUENCE OF BIG MONEY IF
WE DID NOT WRITE THIS
ORDINANCE.
AND LUCKILY A MAJORITY OF MY
COLLEAGUES AND I SAW THAT ONE
OF THE BEST WAYS TO PROTECT
OURSELVES WAS TO REALLY STEP
FORWARD AND LEAD THE WAY WITH
BEING ONE OF THE FIRST
MUNICIPALITIES TO WRITE AN
ORDINANCE LIKE THIS.
WE FEEL LIKE WE'RE ON PRETTY
GOOD GROUND CONSTITUTIONALLY
SPEAKING.
THE $5,000 LIMIT TO
CORPORATIONS IS COMMISH RAT
WITH -- COMMISH RATE WITH OTHER
CASE LAW AND THE MONEY FROM FOR
BIDDING MONEY FROM FOREIGN
NATIONALS IS NOT COMPLICATED
AND IT IS PRETTY STRAIGHT
FORWARD.
SO REQUIRING THAT ANY
CORPORATION THAT GIVES OVER
$5,000 TO A PAC MUST AOFFICIAL
THAT THERE IS A VERY LOW
THRESHOLD OF FOREIGN NATIONALS
ON THEIR BOARD SEEPS PRETTY
REASON -- SEEPS PRETTY
REASONABLE AND -- SEEMS PRETTY
REASONABLE AND WE'RE CONFIDENT
THAT THIS IS A CONSTITUTIONAL
ORDINANCE THAT WE'RE HAPPY TO
DEFEND AND WE WILL DEFEND.
THE ORDINANCE WAS PASSED THE
PAST TWO YEARS AGO.
AFTER IT WENT INTO EFFECT, WE
HAVE ONLY HAD ONE LOCAL
ELECTION TAKE PLACE AND THAT
WAS OUR CITY COUNCIL ELECTION
THAT TOOK PLACE AT THE SAME
TIME AS YOURS LAST NOVEMBER.
AND IT IS AN OFF YEAR ELECTION.
THERE WERE FOUR ODD NUMBER CITY
COUNCIL DISTRICTS UP FOR RE-
ELECTION AND WE DID NOT SEE ANY
ACTIVITY OF ANYONE TRYING TO GO
OVER THE $5,000 LIMIT.
WE HAVE NOT BEEN SUED OR
CHALLENGED AND HAVE NOT
RECEIVED ANYWHERE OFFICIAL
QUESTIONS CHALLENGING THIS.
IT MAY COME UP PERHAPS IN A
COUP OF YEARS.
WE'RE -- COUPLE OF YEARS.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A MAYORAL
ELECTION IN 2021 AND IT WILL
CERTAINLY BE A HIGH-PROFILE
ELECTION AND THAT MIGHT BE A
TYPE WHERE WE MIGHT SEE SOME
SORT OF OPPOSITION, BUT SO FAR
IT HAS BEEN PRETTY QUIET AND
WE'VE HAD STRONG SUPPORT FROM
OUR MAYOR AND FROM OUR
COMMUNITY AT LARGE.
>> GREAT.
THANK YOU.
>> AND I AM HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH,
COUNCILMEMBER RICE.
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TAKING
THE TIME THIS MORNING FOR US
AND EARLY AFTERNOON I BELIEVE
FOR YOURSELF TO JOIN US VIA
VIDEO TO WALK US THROUGH YOUR
ALL'S EXPERIENCE AS BEING THE
FIRST CITY IN THE NATION TO
PASS A VERY SIMILAR ORDINANCE.
I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR
WORK AND YOUR ACCESSIBILITY TO
ME AND MY STAFF AS WE HAVE BEEN
DELIBERATING THIS ISSUE AND
LOOKING AT IT OVER THE MANY
PAST SEVERAL MONTHS.
SO I WANT TO PROVIDE MY
COLLEAGUES AN OPPORTUNITY.
I WANT TO RECOGNIZE
COUNCILMEMBER O'BRIEN HAS
JOINED US AT THE TABLE.
HE SAT AS FAR AWAY FROM US AS
HE POSSIBLY COULD.
I WILL NOT BE PERSONALLY
OFFENDED.
BUT COLLEAGUES, ANY QUESTIONS
OR COMMENTS FOR COUNCILMEMBER
RICE?
COUNCILMEMBER BAGSHAW.
>> THANK YOU.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RICE, THANK
YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF YOUR
WORK.
THANK YOU FOR WEIGHING IN AND
BEING A PART OF IT TODAY.
I APPRECIATE IT.
I'M SALLY BAGSHAW.
I AM ONE OF THE COUNCILMEMBERS
WHO HAS BEEN HERE FOR ABOUT 10
YEARS AND I HAVE AOUT ANOTHER
WEEK TO GO.
SO I AM HERE IN SUPPORT OF
COUNCILMEMBER GONZALEZ AND
REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYBODY
HERE WHO IS AT THE TABLE.
I QUESTION I HAVE AND I HAVE TO
SMILE BECAUSE WHEN YOU STARTED
LISTING OFF THE COMPANIES,
WHETHER IT IS UBER OR THE OIL
COMPANIES OR THE AIRBNB ISSUES,
ALL OF THESE WE'RE DEALING WITH
AS WELL DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE
AS FAR AS HOW AS A COMMUNITY
YOU GOT THE WORD OUT, GOT IS UP
FORT FOR WHAT DID YOU SAY, 2
60,000 POPULATION, TO GET THE
FULL SUPPORT THAT YOU DID, NO
LAWSUITS AT LEAST ON THIS FIRST
YEAR OR THE FIRST CAMPAIGNS.
>> YES.
THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION,
COMMISSIONER.
I THINK THAT ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT WAS REALLY GOING FOR US IS
THE PUBLIC IS NOT IN SITPORT OF
THIS TYPE OF INFLUENCE OF BIG
MONEY IN ELECTIONS.
WE HAVE SEEN THE IMPACT THAT
THIS HAS ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL
AND ON THE STATE LEVEL, AND WE
CERTAINLY DIDN'T WANT TO SEE IT
-- WE DIDN'T WANT TO SEE OUR
CITY BECOME A PLAYGROUND FOR
SUPER PACS, AND SO I THINK THAT
MESSAGE WAS VERY STRONG.
WE WORKED WITH A GREAT TEAM OF
PEOPLE THAT WERE I THINK VERY
SMART AT SHOWING HOW SOME OF
THIS -- SOME OF THE SUPER PAC
ACTIVITY IMPACTED US ON THE
LOCAL LEVEL, AND I THINK PEOPLE
AND CERTAINLY THERE'S LIBERAL
SUPER PACS, THERE ARE
CONSERVATIVE SUPER PACS, AND I
THINK ON THE LOCAL LEVEL PEOPLE
REALLY DID NOT LIKE THE IDEA OF
CORPORATIONS HAVING SUCH STRONG
INFLUENCE WITH MAYBE EVEN
PICKING A REPRESENTATIVE TO SIT
AT THE TABLE MUCH LESS WRITING
OUR LAWS.
SO THAT SEEMED TO HAVE A VERY
STRONG APPEAL IN ST.
PETERSBURG.
LY TELL YOU THAT WHEN THIS
DISCUSSION FIRST STARTED, I DID
HAVE A LOT OF PUSH BACK FROM
OUR LEGAL STAFF.
AND ST. PETE HAS A GREAT LEGAL
TEAM, BUT WE ARE A MID SIZED
CITY AND OUR ATTORNEYS ARE HARD
WIRED TO KEEP US FROM DOING
ANYTHING THAT MIGHT GET US
SUED.
AND WE DON'T HAVE THE SAME
LEVEL OF EXPERTISE, AND I DON'T
THINK ANYONE WOULD EXPECT A
CITY TO HAVE ATTORNEYS ON STAFF
WHO ARE CONSTITUTIONAL AND
ELECTION LAW EXPERTS, AND THAT
IS WHY WORKING WITH FREE SPEECH
WAS SO EFFECTIVE BECAUSE IT
REALLY HELPED US BRING THAT
EXPERTISE INTO THE ROOM.
ONCE WE HAD THE MAYOR ON BOARD,
IT HELPED US WORK A LITTLE BIT
MORE WITH THE LEGAL TEAM AND
ENCOURAGING THEM TO BE MORE
SOLUTION ORIENTED AND TO BE
PROBLEM SOLVERS RATHER THAN
JUST PUTTING OBSTACLES IN OUR
WAY AND PUTTING THE FEAR OF GOD
IN OUR MINDS ABOUT GETTING
SUED.
IT REALLY CAME DOWN TO THE FACT
THAT MY COLLEAGUE STOOD UP AND
SAID THAT WE CAN'T BE STOPPED
FROM DOING WHAT IS THE RIGHT
THING TO DO BECAUSE WE'RE
AFRAID OF BEING SUED.
AND I THINK THAT THAT TYPE OF
COURAGE AND COMMITMENT IS WHAT
WON THE DAY.
>> WELL DONE.
THANK YOU FOR THAT.
>> GREAT.
>> THANK YOU.
NICOL LEAGUES, ANY OTHER
QUESTIONS -- GREAT.
COLLEAGUES, ANY OTHER
QUESTIONS?
>> WELL, IT LOOKS LIKE THAT IS
ALL OF THE QUESTIONS FROM OUR
COUNCILMEMBERS HERE AT THE
TABLE.
COUNCILMEMBER RICE, I KNOW THAT
YOU HAVE OTHER OBLIGATIONS, SO
WE WILL SAY GOOD-BYE TO YOU AT
THIS POINT FOR NOW.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO STAYING
ENGAGED WITH YOU OVER THE NEXT
SEVERAL WEEKS AS WE CONTINUE TO
WORK ON OUR LEGISLATION, BUT
REALLY HAVE TRULY APPRECIATED
YOUR PERSPECTIVE AND YOUR
GUIDANCE AND YOUR COUNCIL AS WE
CONTINUE TO DELIBERATE THROUGH
THIS AND REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR
TAKING THE TIME OUT OF YOUR
BUSY SCHEDULE TO JOIN US.
SO GREETINGS TO YOU AND TO ALL
OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS IN ST.
PETERSBURG AND THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR ALL OF THE WORK THAT
YOU HAVE DONE IN THIS SPACE.
>> THANK YOU.
I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH
YOU AND I'LL BE TALKING TO YOU
SOON.
>> YES.
BYE-BYE.
>>> OKAY.
WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND MO
THROUGH THE REST OF OUR PANEL.
WE'RE NOW GOING TO HEAR FROM
CHAIR WEINTRAUB AND PROFESSOR
COATES, SPECIFICALLY ON THE
ISSUES RELATED TO FOREIGN
INFLUENCE AND CORPORATE
THRESHOLDS IN POLICY MAKING.
AND I'LL GO AHEAD AND HAND IT
OVER TO YOU FOLKS TO LEAD US
THROUGH THE CONVERSATION ON
THIS PARTICULAR PIECE.
AND I BELIEVE DECLARE
WEINTRAUB, ARE YOU GOING KICK
US OFF?
>> I BELIEVE SO!
>> GREAT.
TAKE IT AWAY.
>> GOOD MORNING.
>> MADAM CHAIRWOMAN, MEMBERS OF
THE COMMITTEE, THANK YOU FOR
THIS OPPORTUNITY TO TESTIFY
REGARDING THIS PROPOSED
ORDINANCE.
THE SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL IS
WIDELY RENOUNCE FOR ITS
LEADERSHIP ON CAMPAIGN FINANCE
REFORM ISSUES.
I AM A PARTICULARLY BIG FAN OF
YOUR DEMOCRACY VOUCHERS.
ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING
REFORMS TO EMERGE ANYWHERE IN
THE COUNTRY IN THE PAST FEW
YEARS.
AND I WANT TO FOCUS MY REMARK
TONS PROSITUATIONS THAT WOULD
REQUIRE A CORPORATION SEEKING
TO INFLUENCE SEATTLE ELECTIONS,
AND TO CERTIFY THAT IT IS NOT
WHAT THE ORDINANCE TERMS A
FOREIGN INFLUENCED CORPORATION.
I WANT TO ASSURE YOU TODAY THAT
WHILE THE FOREIGN INFLUENCE
PROVISIONS YOU ARE CONSIDERING
WILL BUILD UPON YOUR LEADING
EDGE REPUTATION FOR CAMPAIGN
FINANCE REFORM, THE PROPOSED
PROSITUATIONS -- PROVISIONS
NONETHELESS FIT COMFORTABLY
WITHIN ANY EXIST STATUTORY LAW
AND SUPREME COURT PRECEDENT.
WHAT YOU ARE CONSIDERING HERE
IS THE SORTS OF REFORM THAT MAY
ONLY SUCCEED AT THE LOCAL AND
STATE LEVELS AT THE MOMENT.
AS IDEOLOGICAL OPPOSITION TO
CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM LAW
ENFORCEMENT HAS EFFECT LIVELY
DONE TO THE FEDERAL ELECTION
AND CONGRESS.
FORTUNATELY STATE AND LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS THROUGHOUT THE
COUNTRY ARE STEPPING INTO THE
BREACH AND LEADING THE WAY WITH
INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS TO
CAMPAIGN FINANCE PROBLEMS.
THE PROVISIONS YOU ARE
CONSIDERING ARE CONSISTENT WITH
AN APPROACH I LAID OUT IN AN OP
ED FOR FOR "THE NEW YORK TIMES"
THAT DESCRIBED A NEW WAY TO
READ THE CITIZENS UNITED
TOGETHER WITH THE FOREIGN
NATIONAL POLITICAL SPENDING
BAN.
IN A NUTSHELL, I NOTED THAT
SINCE THE CITIZENS UNITED
MAJORITY PROTECTED THE FIRST
AMENDMENT RIGHTS OF
CORPORATIONS AS, QUOTE,
ASSOCIATIONS OF CITIZENS, AND
HELD THAT A CORPORATION'S RIGHT
TO PARTICIPATE IN ELECTIONS,
CLOSED THE COLLECTIVE RIGHTS OF
ITS INDIVIDUAL SHAREHOLDERS TO
PARTICIPATE, IT FOLLOWS THAT
THE LIMITS OF THE RIGHTS OF THE
SHAREHOLDERS MUST ALSO FLOW TO
THE CORPORATION, AND ONE OF THE
MOST IMPORTANT CAMPAIGN FINANCE
LIMIT WE HAVE IS THAT FOREIGN
NATIONALS ARE ABSOLUTELY BARRED
FROM SPENDING DIRECTLY OR
INDIRECTLY IN U.S. ELECTIONS AT
ANY POLITICAL LEVEL.
FEDERAL, STATE OR CITY.
IT THUS DEFIES LOGIC TO ALLOW
GROUPS OF FOREIGN NATIONALS OR
FOREIGN NATIONALS IN
COMBINATION WITH AMERICAN
CITIZENS TO FUND POLITICAL
SPENDING THROUGH CORPORATIONS.
WE CANNOT HAVE A RIGHT
COLLECTIVELY THAT YOU DO NOT
HAVE INDIVIDUALLY.
ACCORDINGLY, THE PROPOSED
ORDINANCE SEEKS TO ENSURE THAT
ONLY THOSE CORPORATIONS OWNED
AND INFLUENCED BY PEOPLE WHO
HAVE THE RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE
IN YOUR ELECTIONS ARE DOING SO.
TWO YEARS AGO I WAS PLEASED TO
SUPPORT ST. PETERSBURG CITY
COUNCILMEMBER DARDEN RICE TO
SUPPORT HER LAW IN HER CITY AND
I AM DELIGHTED THAT HE WAS ABLE
TO ILLUMINATE YOUR DISCUSSION
TODAY.
SEATTLE'S ADOPTION OF THIS VERY
SIMILAR MEASURE WOULD GIVE
MAJOR MOMENTUM TO THIS FRESH
APPROACH OF POLITICAL SPENDING.
THE HEART OF YOUR ORDINANCE
DEFINITION OF A FOREIGN
INFLUENCE CORPORATION IS 1%
OWNERSHIP BY ONE FOREIGN OWNER
OR 5% OWNERSHIP BY MORE THAN
ONE FOREIGN OWNER.
AND THIS MIGHT FEEL LIKE A VERY
TIGHT STANDARD, BUT I WOULD ASK
YOU TO KEEP IN MIND THAT YOU'RE
NOT WORKING YOUR WAY DOWN FROM
A 100% OR 50% OWNERSHIP
STANDARD, YOU'RE WORKING YOUR
WAY UP FROM THE ZERO FOREIGN
INFLUENCED STANDARD THAT IS
WHAT THE FEDERAL LAW WOULD
SUGGEST.
THE RISK ADDRESSED BY THIS
MEASURE ARE NOT THEORETICAL.
EARLIER THIS YEAR, THE
REPORTERS USED SEC FILINGS
UNRECOVER $1.3 MILLION IN
FOREIGN NATIONS IN A SUPER PAC
ROOTED THROUGH AN -- ROUTED
THROUGH AN AMERICAN SUBSIDIARY
AND AS A RESULT THE COMMISSION
ISSUED THE LARGEST PENALTY IN
ONE MATTER IN THE POST-CITIZENS
UNITED ERA.
HAD THAT COMPANY BEEN REQUIRED
TO SIGN WHAT THEIR APPLICATIONS
REQUIRED, THEIR ILLEGAL
BEHAVIOR MAY WELL HAVE BEEN
DEFERRED -- DETERRED.
AGAIN, I AM DELIGHTED THAT THE
SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL IS MOVING
FORWARD TO ADDRESS THIS KEY
CAMPAIGN FINANCE ISSUE AND AT
THE MOMENT WHEN THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT IS UNABLE TO DO SO.
BY PASSING THIS ORDINANCE, YOU
WILL BE DOING NOT JUST SEATTLE
BUT WASHINGTON AND YOUR COUNTRY
A GREAT SERVICE.
YOU WILL SET AN EXAMPLE THAT
CAN BE FOLLOWED BY OTHERS AT
THE LOCAL, STATE AND HOPEFULLY
DAY FEDERAL LEVEL.
I THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING
THIS MEASURE.
I THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY
TO SPEAK BEFORE YOU TODAY.
AND I WELCOME YOUR QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.
I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
YOU HAVE A TREMENDOUS RECORD IN
CHAIRING THE FEC AND IN
SPEAKING VERY ELOQUENTLY AND
CLEARLY ON WHAT IS OTHERWISE AN
INCREDIBLY DENSE AND
COMPLICATED AREA OF
CONSTITUTIONAL LAW.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
AND AS A LAWYER MYSELF WHO
PRACTICED CONSTITUTIONAL LAW
FOR 10 YEARS, IT MAKES MY HEART
GO PITTER BATTER AS WE'RE
HAVING THIS CONVERSATION
BECAUSE I GET TO ACCESS A PART
OF MY BRAIN THAT I DON'T ALWAYS
GET TO ACCESS AS A
COUNCILMEMBER.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR
BEING WITH US.
I WANTED TO PROVIDE AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR FOLKS TO ASK
ANY QUESTIONS OR PROVIDE
COMMENTS TO CHAIR WEINTRAUB.
ON HER PRESENTATION.
>> COUNCILMEMBER BAGSHAW?
>> THANK YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING
US.
I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
I'M SALLY BAGSHAW.
I'M A COUNCILMEMBER HERE.
I'D LIKE TO ASK YOU ALLY BIT
ABOUT YOUR VISION.
I LIKE WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT A
CORPORATION CANNOT HAVE A RIGHT
COLLECTIVELY THAT THEY DO NOT
HAVE AS INDIVIDUALS.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY OR HOW WOULD
YOU RECOMMEND US GOING FORWARD
TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE NOT IN
ANY CONSTITUTIONAL VIOLATION IF
WE ARE ABLE TO SAY OR TO DO
WHAT YOU RECOMMENDED, THE 1%
OWNERSHIP OR A COMBINATION OF
5% OWNERSHIP FOR MUTT
APPROXIMATELY OWNERS.
HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE
NOT RUNNING AN UNNECESSARY
RISK?
>> WELL, I THINK THAT THIS
ISSUE HAS BEEN RESOLVED BY THE
SUPREME COURT IN SOP SENSE THAT
THE FEDERAL LAW CONTAIN AS VERY
BROAD FOREIGN NATIONAL BAND ON
SPENDING, AND IT HAS BEEN
CONTESTED.
IT WAS CONTESTED IN VERY
SYMPATHETIC CIRCUMSTANCES AND
NOT BROUGHT UP BY CORPORATIONS
BUT INDIVIDUAL WHOSE ARE LIVING
AND WORKING IN THIS COUNTRY
FROM SORT OF FRIENDLY FOREIGN
NATIONS, FROM CANADA AND IS
RULE, AND COUNTRIES WE CONSIDER
ALLIES.
THEY HAD SPENT VERY LITTLE
MONEY.
THEY WANTED TO PRINT UP SOME
FLIERS AT KINKO AND HAND THEM
OUT IN THE PARK AND MAYBE ABOUT
$300 WORTH OF CONTRIBUTIONS,
AND THE D.C. COURTS, WHICH WERE
UPHELD BY THE SUPREME COURT IN
A DECISION BY NONE OTHER THAN
NOW JUSTICE, SAID THAT THOSE --
JUSTICE BRETT JUSTICE CAV NAW,
AND THEY ARE CONSISTENT, AND IN
PARTICULAR THIS DECISION, THE
COURT HELD OVER THE LAST FOUR
DECADES THE FIRST AMENDMENT
ISSUES RAYED BY CAMPAIGN
FINANCE LAWS HAVE BEEN THE SUCK
OF GREAT DEBATESINVOLVING ALL
THREE BRANCHES OF NATIONAL
GOVERNMENT.
THIS CASE DOES NOT IMPLICATE
THOSE DEBATES, RATHER THIS CASE
RAISE AS PRELIMINARY AND
FOUNDATIONAL QUESTION ABOUT THE
DEFINITION OF THE AMERICAN
POLITICAL COMMUNITY AND, IN
PARTICULAR, THE ROLE OF FOREIGN
CITIZENS IN THE U.S. ELECTORAL
PROCESS, AND THE BOTTOM LINE IS
THAT FOREIGN IT IS ZENS DO NOT
HAVE A ROLE IN THE U.S.
ELECTORAL PROCESS AND,
THEREFORE, THEY CANNOT HAVE A
ROLE AS CORPORATE SHAREHOLDERS
OR IN OTHER WAY TASS THEY MIGHT
CHOOSE TO ROUTE MONEY INTO OUR
ELECTIONS.
>> DO YOU HAVE A L FOLLOW-UP?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER BAGSHAW HAS A
FOLLOW-UP QUESTION.
>> HOW DOES THAT WORK WITH A
PUBLICLY TRADED CORPORATION.
I THINK YOU KNOW A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT WHAT MAY HAVE HAPPENED
HERE IN THE CITY OF SEATTLE IN
THE LAST THREE WEEKS OF THE
CITY OAKS AND A MAJOR
CORPORATION DID INVEST $1
MILLION THREE WEEKS BEFORE THE
ELECTION, AND MY REAL CONCERN
IS HOW DO WE DETERMINE WHETHER
THERE IS FOREIGN MONEY?
DO WE GO THROUGH EACH CORPORATE
STRUCTURE?
HOW DOES THAT WORK?
>> WELL, YOU WOULD BE ACT F
ACTING UNDER YOUR NEW
PROVISION, SO IT WOULD ASK THE
WAY YOUR PROVISION LAYS IT OUT
SO LOOKING TO A PERCENTAGE OF
FOREIGN OWNERSHIP IN THE
CORPORATION.
>> SO LET'S ASSUME WE HAVE ONE
OF THESE CORPORATIONS WITH
MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF
ASSETS.
IF THERE IS ANY INVESTOR AT ALL
THAT IS FOREIGN THEN THAT WOULD
SUGGEST TO THE CORPORATION
COULD NOT PARTICIPATE IN ANY
WAY IN SEATTLE ELECTIONS?
>> WELL, THE ABORTION ITSELF
WOULD HAVE TO CERTIFY THAT --
THE CORPORATION ITSELF WOULD
HAVE TO CERTIFY THAT IT MET THE
DEAF COMMISSION OF 1% OR 5%,
DEPENDING UPON WHICH THRESHOLD
YOU WERE OPERATING.
>> AND LISH, MAYBE YOU WANT TO
ADDRESS THE SPECIFIC COMPONENTS
OF THE DRAFT ORDINANCE THAT
ADDRESS COUNCILMEMBER BAGSHAW'S
QUESTION?
>> YES.
>> SO ANY CORPORATION THAT
SEEKS TO MAKE AN INDEPENDENT
EXPENDITURE OR CONTRIBUTE TO AN
EXPENDITURE COMMITTEE WOULD
NEED TO CERTIFY TO THE CITY
CLERK THAT THEY ARE NOT A
FOREIGN-INFLUENCED CORPORATION
ANDTHE DEFINITION OF A FOREIGN
INOW INFLUENCED CORPORATION IS
ONE THAT HAS EITHER A SINGLE
OWNER THAT OWNS -- THAT IS A
FOREIGN NATIONAL OR FOREIGN
CORPORATION OR, ET CETERA, THAT
OWNS AT LEAST 1% OF THE
COMPANY'S ASSETS OR A
COMBINATION OF OWNERS WHO
TOGETHER CONTROL 5% OR MORE OF
THE COMPANY'S ASSETS.
>> SO TAKE A MULTINATIONAL
CORPORATION.
WE HAVE MANY HERE IN OUR
REGION.
AND SHAREHOLDERS CAN BUY AND
SELL PUBLICLY TRADED STOCK.
HOW WOULD A COMPANY AND I'M
JUST GOING TO PICK OUR LOCAL
AIRCRAFT MANUFACTURER AS AN
EXAMPLE, WOULD THEY HAVE TO
AFFIRM THAT THE SHAREHOLDERS DO
NOT COME FROM SOME OTHER
COUNTRY?
>> YES.
>> AND WITH MILLIONS AND
MILLIONS OF SHAREHOLDERS OR THE
SHARES INVESTED IN MUTE RAHAL
FUNDS, HOW WOULD ONE DETERMINE
THAT?
AND I'M NOT SUGGESTING THAT
THIS AIRCRAFT COMPANY HAS
INVESTED IN LOCAL ELECTIONS.
THEY DON'T.
BUT WHAT OR HOW WOULD THEY MAKE
THAT DETERMINATION SHOULD THEY
CHOOSE TO DO SO IN THE FUTURE?
>> SO I LOOKED AT ANOTHER MAJOR
CORPORATION IN SEATTLE TO
DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THEY
WOULD HAVE MET THE THRESHOLDS,
AND IS THAT IS REALLY OUTSIDE
OF MY AREA OF EXPERTISE.
BUT I THINK THAT THAT
CORPORATION HAD MUCH OWNERS
EITHER FOREIGN MUTUAL FUND
COMPANIES OR INDIVIDUALS THAT
THEY WERE GOING TO HIT THE 5%
THRESHOLD.
AND IT WAS PRETTY EASY TO
DETERMINE AT THAT LEVEL.
THEY HAD AT LEAST ONE OWNER
THAT WAS.# 9% OF THEIR -- .89%
OF THEIR OWNER WAS THERE.
SO I THINK THEY ARE ABLE TO
KNOW WHO OWNS THEIR SHARES AND
CAN MAKE THAT DETERMINATION,
AND THE CITY WOULD NOT BE IN
THE BUSINESS OF MAKING THAT
DETERMINATION.
IT IS ONTHE CORPORATION THAT
WANTS TO PARTICIPATE IN LOCAL
ELECTIONS TO MAKE THAT
DETERMINATION.
>> COUNCILMEMBER O'BRIEN, DID
YOU HAVE A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION?
>> AS A PUBLICLY STRAYEDED
CORPORATION, THEY WILL KNOW WHO
OWNS ALL OF THEIR SHARES.
THEY WILL PROBABLY HAVE WAY
MORE INFORMATION THAN THE
PUBLIC MIGHT HAVE, AND IF IT IS
A LOT OF WORK AND THEY DON'T
WANT TO DO IT, THEN THEY CAN
EXCUSE THEMSELVES FROM
PARTICIPATING, TOO.
IT IS NOT A REQUIREMENT.
IT IS FAIRLY STRAIGHT FORWARD.
>> WE HAVE CRAFTED A
LEGISLATION TO PLACE THE BURDEN
AND THE ONUS ON THE
CORPORATIONS TO PROVIDE A
CERTIFICATION UNDER A PENALTY
OF PERJURY AS TO WHETHER OR NOT
THEY ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE
ORDINANCE.
SHOULD THEY MISREPRESENT THAT
CERTIFICATION, THEN THEY WOULD
BE SUBJECT TO PENALTY OF
PERJURY, BUT I BELIEVE THAT
PROFESSOR COATES MIGHT ALSO BE
A SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT IN THIS
PARTICULAR SPACE, AND PERHAPS
THIS WOULD BE A GOOD
OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO
TRANSITION TO HIM TO HAVE HIM
ADDRESS THIS PARTICULAR -- THE
PARTICULARS AROUND THAT
QUESTION, COWS SILL MEMBER
BAGSHAW, WHICH IS A REALLY GOOD
QUESTION.
AND IN THE CONTEXT OF THAT,
SOMETHING THAT WE GET A LOT OF
QUESTIONS ABOUT IS WHY THE 1%
OR THE 5%.
IT TO A LOT OF PEOPLE
ANECDOTALLY IT SEEMS LIKE SUCH
A LOW NUMBER, AND PEOPLE ARE
HAVING A HARD TIME I THINK
UNDERSTANDING WHAT EXACTLY THE
DEGREE AND LEVEL OF CONTROL AND
POWER ACTUALLY IS IF YOU'RE A
SHAREHOLDER OR A GROUP OF
SHAREHOLDERS THAT OWNS EITHER
1% OR 5% COLLECTIVELY.
SO PERHAPS WE CAN HAVE OUR
EXPERTS KEEP THAT IN MIND AND
HELP US UNDERSTAND SORT OF THE
PRACTICAL ASPECTS OF HOW THAT
FUNCTIONS IN BOARD ROOMS.
PROARVESOR COATES, WOULD YOU
LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND TAKE OVER?
>> SURE.
SURE.
CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY?
>> YES, WE CAN.
>> GREAT SO ONE MORE WORD OF
BACKGROUND ABOUT ME.
I USED TO PRACTICE CORPORATE
LAW IN NEW YORK CITY WHICH IS A
LEADING NEW YORK FIRM AND
REPRESENTED LARGE PUBLIC
COMPANIES ROUTINELY IN
COMPLYING WITH REGULATIONS AND
LAWS OF THE KIND THAT I'M GOING
TO BE TALKING ABOUT.
AND THIS IS THE PRINCIPLE FOCUS
OF MY TEACHING AND RESEARCH.
AND THE -- I'M GOING TO VERY
QUICKLY SKETCH A COUPLE OF
ADDITIONAL MOTIVATIONS FOR WHY
THIS LAW -- THIS BILL MAKES
SENSE AND THEN I'LL TRY TO
ANSWER SOME OF THE PRACTICAL
QUESTION THAT ISY CAME UP.
BEYOND THE -- WELL,
CORPORATIONS, OF COURSE, CAN BE
OF ALL KINDS.
SOME OF THEM ARE SET UP
DELIBERATESLY TO AVOID OR EVADE
DETECTION IN THE CAMPAIGN
SYSTEM, AND I ACTUALLY THINK
THAT IS AN IMPORTANT STARTING
POINT HERE.
FOREIGN COMPANIES, FOREIGNERS,
EXCUSE ME, SET UP U.S.
COMPANIES, WHICH LOOK ON THEIR
SURFACE LIKE U.S. COMPANIES,
BUT ARE REALLY ACTUALLY JUST
CON DUE ITS FOR FOREIGNERS.
THEY THEN -- THE FOREIGNERS
DONATE MONEY TO THE COMPANIES
AND THEN THE COMPANIES SHOW UP
AS THE FORMAL DONOR TO VARIOUS
OTHER KINDS OF ENTITIES.
THEY THEN DISSOLVE AND THE
COMPANIES ARE REALLY SORT OF
USED AS TRANSIENT WAYS TO
CAMOUFLAGE DONATIONS.
SO THAT IS ONE THING TO
MOTIVATE A BILL LIKE THIS.
A SECOND IS THAT THE -- EVEN
AMONG PUBLIC COMPANIES, WHICH
ARE SUBJECT TO SOME KINDS OF
DISCLOSURE OBLIGATIONS, OF
COURSE, POLITICAL ACTIVIVE IS
NOT -- POLITICAL ACTIVITY IS
NOT ONE OF THOSE.
THE SEC AND CONGRESS HAVE NOT
IMPOSED ANY MEANINGFUL
DISCLOSURE OBLIGATIONS ON LARGE
OR SMALL PUBLICLY HELD
COMPANIES AS TO THEIR POLITICAL
INVEST.
ING AND INVOLVEMENTS DESPITE
THE FACT THAT MOST LARGE
INSTITUTIONAL SHAREHOLDERS
THINK THAT POLITICS SOMETHING
THAT THEY THINK IS INVESTMENT
RELEVANT.
NEVERTHELESS, THERE HAS BEEN A
RELUCTANCE TO DO SO.
AND FOREIGN INFLUENCE OVER U.S.
COMPANIES, WHETHER PUBLIC OR
PRIVATE, IS GROWING.
IN A RESEARCH STUDY THAT RON
FEIN AT THE TABLE AND I AND
OTHERS DID A FEW YEARS AGO, WE
FOUND THAT NEARLY 1-10 U.S.
PUBLIC COMPANIES NOW HAVE
FOREIGN OWNERS THAT ARE HOLDING
NOT 1% BLOCKS BUT 5% BLOCKS,
BIG BLOCKS, SIGNIFICANT BLOCKS,
AND THAT THAT NUMBER HAS BEEN
GROWING PRETTY STEADILY OVER
TIME.
U.S. CORPORATIONS THAT ACTUALLY
HAVE 51% FOREIGN OWNERS CONTROL
OVER $10 TRILLION, THAT IS WITH
A T. NASSETS IN THE UNITED
STATES.
THERE ARE OVER 100, 000 SUCH
COMPANIES THAT ARE PHIING
ACTIVELY WITH THE IRS.
SO THESE ARE REAL BUSINESSES
THAT ARE FILING EVERY YEAR AND
ON THOSE FORMS, THEY HAVE TO
INDICATE THEIR FOREIGNER
OWNERSHIP AND 51%, 100,000 SUCH
COMPANIES.
OVERALL INVESTMENT BY
FOREIGNERS IN U.S. COMPANIES OF
ALL KINDS HAS BEEN DRAMATICALLY
INCREASING FROM ABOUT 20 YEARS
AGO WHEN IT WAS R5% OF AWE OF
THE CORPORATE OWNERSHIP
REPORTED TO THE FEDERAL
RESERVE, IT IS NOW OVER 25%.
THAT IS AN AGGREGATE.
IT VARIOUSES FROM COMPANY TO
COMPANY.
AND THAT IS A REFLECTION OF
GLOBAL STATION.
IT IS PROBABLY A GOOD THING
THAT IT IS OCCURRING, BUT
NEVERTHELESS, IT MEANS WHEN YOU
LOOK AS A COMPANY, EVEN A
COMPANY THAT SEEMS AS AMERICAN
AS BUDWEISER, YOU HAVE TO
UNDERSTAND THAT IS A FOREIGN
COMPANY AND FOREIGN OWNERSHIP
HAS BEEN STEADILY INCREASING
AND FOREIGN OWNERSHIP IN U.S.
COMPANIES HAS BEEN INCREASING
SO HERE WE ARE.
WE ARE IN A WORLD IN WHICH
COMPANIES ARE INCREASINGLY
ACTIVE AND FOREIGN OWNERSHIP OF
U.S. COMPANIES INCREASING.
SO THE MAINTAINING AWAY, AND
I'M HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP IF MORE
QUESTIONS OCCUR TO YOU AFTER
TODAY, I WOULD BE DELIGHTED TO
HELP SUPPLEMENT ANY WORRIES YOU
MIGHT HAVE, BUT THE MAINTAINING
AWAY, AND BOTH?
ST. PETERSBURG AND ON THIS ONE
I HAVE WORKED WITH THE TEAMS
TRYING TO ADVISE TO MAKE SURE,
FROM MY EXPERIENCE ON WALL
STREET AND FROM TEACHING AND
WORKING IN THE CORPORATE GOVERN
NANCE AREA THAT THE LAW IS PACK
COOL AND WORKABLE.
THE BOTTOM LINE IS IT IS.
THE 1% THRESHOLD, LET ME JUST
TAKE THAT ON WHICH MIGHT SEEM
LOW AS WAS INDICATED BY THE
COUNCILMEMBER, THAT IS THE SAME
THRESHOLD THAT IS ALREADY IN
PLACE FOR GUARANTEE TEEING A
SHAREHOLDER -- GUARANTEEING A
SHAREHOLDER TO PUT PROPOSALS TO
ANNUAL MEETINGS OF U.S. PUBLIC
COMPANIES.
IT IS VIEWED AS VERY HIGH
THRESHOLD IN THE PUBLIC COMPANY
CONTEXT BECAUSE ACTUALLY 1% OF
U.S. PUBLIC COMPANIES IS A
GREAT DEAL OF MONEY, AND FOR
ANY ONE INVESTOR TO HAVE THAT
MUCH, IF THEY ARE ALL
DIVERSIFIED, THEY IMPLIES THEY
HAVE EVEN MORE MONEY, SO IT IS
ACTUALLY A RELATIVELY RARE
LEVEL FOR MOST INVESTORS TO
REACH IN U.S. PUBLIC COMPANIES.
AND WHEN THEY DO REACH THAT
LEVEL, THEY ARE APARTICULARLY
AMONG THE SHAREHOLDERS.
THEY CAN CERTAINLY GET THE EAR
OF THE CEO OR THE INVESTMENT
RELATION OFFICERS OF ANY U.S.
PUBLIC COMPANY AND EVEN BELOW
1% IF THEY'RE IN THE HALF OF
PERCENT TO 1 MRS. RANGE, AND
THEY PUT A CALL IN TO THE
COMPANY THE FACT THAT THEY CAN
POTENTIALLY GET THAT LEVEL OF
INFLUENCE MEANS THEY'RE GOING
TO GET SOME ENGAGEMENT FROM THE
COMPANY.
AND THAT ENGAGEMENT OFTEN IS
MEANINGFUL IN CHANGING
STRATEGIC DIRECTION AND
FINANCING CHOICES, WHETHER TO
DO A BUY BACK OR TO INVEST, AND
HOW THE COMPANY IS MANAGED.
I SHOULD SAY THAT WHILE THE
NATIONALITY OF EVERY
SHAREHOLDER OF A COMPANY IS
CHANGING ON A DAILY BASIS, IN
THE CASE OF PUBLIC COMPANIES,
ALL 5% AND UP SHAREHOLDERS HAVE
TO FILE VERY PROMPTLY, SO THAT
HAS TO BE KEPT CURRENT, AND
LESS THAN 5% IF IT IS MORE THAN
$100,000 IN ASSETS.
THAT IS DISCLOSED TO THE S.E.C.
IN ADDITION, COMPANIES
THEMSELVESES HAVE TO KEEP
RELATIVE, ACCURATE, A LIST OF
THEIR SHIRE HOLDERS BECAUSE
THEY DISTRIBUTE DIFF DIVIDENDS
AND THEY HAVE TO COMMUNICATE
AND THEY HAVE TO ELICIT PROXIES
AT THEIR MEETINGS, AND SO FROM
THEIR OWN TRANSFER AGENTS AND
OTHER INTERMEDIARIES THEY CAN
PULL A LIST OF THEIR
SHAREHOLDERS RELATIVELY
PROMPTLY.
ONE QUESTION THAT WAS ASKED
ABOUT MUTUAL FUNDS, THE BUY THE
BILL LANGUAGE WORKS IS YOU DO
NOT LOOK THROUGH A MUTUAL FUND.
SO IF VANGUARD, FOR EXAMPLE, A
FUND I INVEST IN BECAUSE IT IS
A GOOD FUND, INVESTS IN A
PUBLIC COMPANY, THE FACT THAT
VANGUARD MAY IN TURN RAISE
MONEY FROM LOTS OF FOREIGNERS
IRRELEVANT FOR PURPOSES OF THE
BILL.
VANGUARD IS A U.S., DOMESTIC
MUTUAL FUND.
IT IS MANAGED AND ADVISED BY
U.S. PEOPLE.
THE FACT THAT THEY RAISE MONEY
AT THE MUTUAL FUND LEVEL WOULD
NOT CHANGE THE DOMINANT U.S.
ORIENTATION OF VANGUARD AND SO
THE BILL WOULD NOT LOOK THROUGH
THE MUTE A.M.
FUND.
NOW SO THAT IS -- MUTUAL FUND.
SO THAT IS ONE PRACTICAL POINT.
ANOTHER PRACTICAL POINT IS THE
BILL ONLY REQUIRE WHAT IS IS
FEASIBLE.
SO THE CERTIFICATION IS, YOU
KNOW, UPON DUE INQUIRY.
SO IF UNBEKNOWN AND UNKNOWABLE
TO THE MANAGEMENT OF THE
COMPANY, SOME FOREIGNER HAD
USED SOME SUB TRAY NEW JERSEY
OR THERE HAD BEEN A RAPID --
SUB IT DOESN'T ALLOY THAT, SO
IF THE COMPANY KNOWS THIS, THAT
DOESN'T WORK OR REASONABLY
COULD HAVE KNOWN IT, THEN THAT
DOESN'T WORK.
BUT IF IT IS JUST A QUESTION OF
PACK CAM DAY-TO-DAY CHANGES,
THE BILL TAKES CARE OF THAT AND
WOULD NOT IMPOSE LIABILITY.
FINALLY TO THE POINT THAT WAS
MADE EARLIER, COMPANIES ONLY
HAVE TO CONFRONT THIS QUESTION
IF THEY WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN
POLITICS, RIGHT?
SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO.
AND WHEN THEY ARE GEARING UP
FOR THAT, THAT IS NOT A CAUSAL
DECISION TYPICALLY.
IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS DONE
WITH SOME PREPARATION AND
FORETHOUGHT, AND I'M QUITE SURE
ALREADY THEIR LAWYERS ARE
ADVISES THEM ABOUT THIS BECAUSE
THERE ARE FUME ROUSE STATUTES
THAT REGULATE FOREIGN OWNERSHIP
ALREADY OUTSIDE THE POLITICAL
SPHERE.
SO AIRCRAFT MANUFACTURERS, IF
THEY HAVE DEFENSE CONTRACTS,
HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT DEFENSE
DEPARTMENT REGULATIONS, AND
FOREIGN INFLUENCE ALREADY SO
THIS IS A ROUTINE PART OF WHAT
LARGE COMPANIES HAVE TO DEAL
WITH.
AND I'LL STOP THERE.
>> GREAT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, PROFESSOR
COATES.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT
INSIGHT.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
COUNCILMEMBER BAGSHAW?
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU, PROFESSOR, FORKING
WITH WITH US TODAY.
TWO ADJECTIVES THAT YOU USED,
BOTH PRACTICAL AND WORKABLE
MADE ME VERY HAPPY.
DO YOU HAVE ANY WORDS OF WISDOM
FOR US TO REDUCE POTENTIAL
LIABILITY?
>> DO YOU MEAN THE RISK THAT
SOMEONE COULD SUE?
>> SUCCESSFULLY SUE.
WE'RE FAMILIAR WITH LAWSUITS.
THE QUESTION IS WHETHER
SOMEBODY COULD SUCCESSFULLY SUE
US AND I JUST WONDER IF YOU
HAVE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS ON
ANYTHING THAT SHOULD BE ADDED
OR THINGS THAT WE SHOULD KNOW
BEFORE WE TRY TO IMPLEMENT
THIS.
>> YOU KNOW, I THINK YOU'RE
ALREADY DOING WHAT NEEDS TO BE
DONE.
YOU'RE GETTING ADVICE AROUND
THE CONSTITUTIONAL QUESTIONS
LIKE EXPERTS LIKE COMMISSIONER
WEINTRAUB AND OTHERS AROUND THE
TABLE.
YOU'RE GETTING SOME INPUT FROM
ME ABOUT THE PRACTICALITIES OF
INFLUENCE BY FOREIGNERS AND
ESTABLISHING THAT YOU HAVE A
RECORD THAT SLOWS THAT, IN
FACT, THERE IS A REASON TO
BELIEVE, AND THERE IS, IF A 5%
OR A 3% OR 1% SHAREHOLDER OF A
LARGE U.S. PUBLIC COMPANY IS
BOTH FOREIGN AND WANTS TO EXERT
INFLUENCE, THEY CAN.
SO WITH THOSE TWO THINGS IN
HAND, I THINK YOU'VE GOT WHAT
YOU NEED TO SUCCESSFULLY DEFEND
ANY CHALLENGE TO THIS LAW AS
COMMISSIONER WEINTRAUB SAYS,
THE STANDARD IS STRICTER FOR
INDIVIDUALS, FOR NON-CORPORATE
PEOPLE, PEOPLE WE USED TO CALL
THEM, AND SO YOU'RE REALLY --
THE QUESTION IS HOW MUCH LOOSER
DO YOU NEED TO BE FOR CORPORATE
BUSINESS ENTITIES THAT ARE
SUSCEPTIBLE TO FOREIGN
INFLUENCE?
AND I THINK THE LEVELS THAT
THIS BILL ESTABLISHES ARE
REASONABLE, AND THEY'RE
CONSISTENT, JUST TO SAY
SOMETHING I DIDN'T QUITE SAY,
THE BUSINESS ROUND TABLE AND
THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
ADMITTEDLY IN A DIFFERENT
CONTEXT, EVEN LESS, HAVE -- ARE
ON RECORD AS SAYING THAT A 1%
LEVEL IS A SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH
LEVEL TO TREAT THOSE
SHAREHOLDERS DIFFERENT AS A
MATTER OF FEDERAL LAW.
AND THAT THEY'RE IMPORTANT AND
THAT THAT IS A CRITICAL
THRESHOLD FOR UNDERSTANDING
PRACTICAL INFLUENCE BY
SHAREHOLDERS.
SO THE KINDS OF ORGANIZATIONS
THAT ARE YOU KNOW, IN THE
GENERAL SET OF THOSE THAT MIGHT
CHALLENGE THE BILL WOULD HAVE A
HARD -- WELL, LEGALLY THEY'D
HAVE A HARD TIME SPEAKING OUT
OF BOTH SIDES OF THEIR MOUTH ON
THIS, I THINK.
SO THE SHORT ANSWER IS I THINK
YOU'RE ALREADY DOING WHAT YOU
NEED TO BE DOING AND, YOU KNOW,
GETTING OTHER PEOPLE TO TELL
YOU THAT COMMISSIONER WEINTRAUB
AND I ARE NOT MAKING THAT UP IS
HELPFUL BUT THAT IS NOT THE END
OF IT.
>> GREAT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR
PROFESSOR COATES?
>> WE'RE GOING TO TRANSITION TO
-- SPEAKING OF PEOPLE, WHO
MIGHT BE ABLE TO CONFIRM THE
THEORIES THAT WE JUST HEARD
FROM FOLKS ON THE PHONE, WE'RE
GOING TO SHIFT OVER TO REAL
PEOPLE AT THE REAL TABLE WHO
ARE GOING TO TALK TO US ABOUT
ISSUES THAT ARE MORE SPECIFIC
TO THE SUPER PAC QUESTION IN
PARTICULAR, SO WE WILL GO AHEAD
AND BEGIN THE PROCESS OF
TRANSITIONING BACK OVER HERE.
I'M GOING TO LET PROFESSOR AL
CHER GO FIRST BECAUSE I
UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE A HARD STOP
AT NOON.
>> RIGHT.
>> SO WHY DON'T WE GO AHEAD AND
START WITH YOU, PROFESSIONAL
ALSO SURER AND WE'LL GO --
PROFESSIONAL AL SURE.
>> MADAM CHAIRWOMAN?
IF I COULD INTERGENT FOR A
MOMENT.
IF YOU ALL ARE DONE WITH ME,
I'M HAPPY TO REMAIN AVAILABLE
FOR ANY LATER QUESTIONS THAT
ANYONE HAS, BUT IF YOU'RE
TRANSITIONING TO THE GROUP AT
THE TABLE, PERHAPS THIS WOULD
BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO
THANK YOU AGAIN AND WISH YOU
WELL IN YOUR EFFORTS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH,
COMMISSIONER WEINTRAUB, FOR
THAT GENTLE REMINDER.
YES, WE ARE I THINK DONE WITH
YOU FOLKS ON THE VIDEO.
AND FOR EITHER OF YOU, IF YOU
WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE TO STAY
WITH US TO LISTEN TO THE
CONVERSATION, YOU'RE WELCOME
TO, BUT OTHERWISE YOU'RE
WELCOME TO HANG UP AND WE CAN
CONCLUDE THE VIDEO CONFERENCING
PORTION OF TODAY'S COMMITTEE
HEARING.
I WANT TO THANK BOTH OF YOU FOR
YOUR EXPERTISE IN THIS ERR AND
FOR LENDING US YOUR EXPERTISE
IN THIS AREA AND YOU CAN REST
ASSURE THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO
BE IN CONTACT AS WE DEVELOP
THIS LEGISLATION.
>> THANK YOU.
>>> I APPRECIATE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT THIS
PIONEERING AND VERY IMPORTANT
ORDINANCE.
MY ROLE, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, IS
NOT TO DISALL ASPECTS OF THE
ORDINANCE, BUT JUST TO ADDRESS
THE CONCERN THAT LIMITING
CONTRIBUTIONS TO SUPER PACS
MIGHT BE HELD UPON
CONSTITUTIONAL.
AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THIS
PART OF THE ORDINANCE, I CAN'T
ASSURE YOU THAT THERE IS NO
RISK OF AN ADVERSE RULING IN A
CASE CALLED SPEECH NOW
ORGANIZATION AGAINST THE
S.E.C., THE U.S. COURT OF
APPEAL FORCE THE D.C. CIRCUIT
HELD THAT ALL LIMITS ON
CONTRIBUTIONS TO SUPER PACS ARE
UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
AND SOON THEREAFTER IN LONG
BEACH AREA, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
VERSUS THE CITY OF LONG BEACH,
THE FEDERAL COURT OF APPEALS,
FOR THIS PART OF THE WORD, THE
NINTH CIRCUIT, FOLLOWED SUIT.
THE U.S. SUPREME COURT HAS NOT
CONSIDERED THE QUESTION.
THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT DID NOT
SEEK REVIEW OF SPEECH NOW
BECAUSE AS ATTORNEY GENERAL
HOLDER EXPLAINED TO SENATOR
REID, IT BELIEVED THAT THE
DECISION WOULD AFFECT ONLY A
SMALL SUBSET OF FEDERALLY
REGULATED CONTRIBUTIONS.
YOU CAN IF YOU'D LIKE PUT
HOLDER'S STATEMENT ON AN
HISTORIC LIST OF WRONG
PREDICTIONS NEXT TO THAT OF THE
GRAND OLE OPENRY MANAGER WHO
TOLD ELVIS PRESLEY TO GO BACK
DRIVING A TRUCK BECAUSE HE
WOULD NEVER MAKE IT AS A
SINGER.
WELL, THESE TWO DECISIONS HAVE
GIVEN SEATTLE A VERY STRANGE
SYSTEM OF CAMPAIGN FINANCE,
ALTHOUGH SEATTLE VOTERS HAVE
APPROVED AND THE WASHINGTON
SUPREME COURT HAS UPHELD A
DEMOCRACY ENHANCING SYSTEM OF
CAMPAIGN FINANCE THAT INCLUDES
VOTER VOUCHERS AND SHARP LIMITS
ON CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS,
THESE DECISIONS MAKE EVASION OF
THE CONTRIBUTION LIMITS EASY.
AFTER MAKING THE MAXIMUM
DONATION TO A CANDIDATE, A
PERSON MAY GIVE THINKS OR
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO A SUPER
PAC WHOSE ONLY MISSION IS TO
SUPPORT THAT CANDIDATE.
SO SEATTLE'S LIMITS DON'T
RESTRICT HOW MUCH PEOPLE CAN
GIVE TO ELECTORAL EVIDENTS,
THEY JUST REQUIRE PEOPLE TO
SEND THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO
LESS RESPONSIBLE AND MORE
DESTRUCTIVE SPEAKERS.
SUPER PACS HAVE BEEN CALLED THE
ATTACK DOGS AND PROVOCATEURS OF
MODERN POLITICS.
THE CANDIDATES DON'T HAVE TO
TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHAT A
SUPER PAC SAYS.
THESE GROUPS OFTEN DISAPPEAR
ONCE AN ELECTION IS OVER.
THE ADS THEY PRODUCE CONTRIBUTE
TO CYNICISM ABOUT POLITICS, A
CYNICISM THAT RUNS PARTICULARLY
DEEP AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE.
OF COURSE, THE FACT THAT THESE
ARE DOING NEGATIVE CAMPAIGNING
IS NO REASON TO SUPRESS THEM,
BUT IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT
SEATTLE NOW HAS A SYSTEM OF
CAMPAIGN FINANCE THAT ACTIVELY
CHANNELS FUNDS TOWARDS LESS
RESPONSIBLE SPEAKERS.
NO SANE LEGISLATOR WOULD VOTE
IN FAVOR OF THIS SYSTEM AND NO
LEGISLATOR EVER HAS.
YOU FOLKS CERTAINLY DIDN'T DO
IT.
SEATTLE HAS THIS TOPSY TURVEY
REGIME, NOT BECAUSE YOU CHOSE
IT, BUT BECAUSE SOME FEDERAL
COURTS HAVE HELD THAT THE FIRST
AMENDMENT REQUIRES IT.
IF THE CONSTITUTION REQUIRES
IT, IT LOOKS VERY STRANGE, TOO.
THE SUPREME COURT HELD 43 YEARS
AGO THAT CONTRIBUTIONS TO
CANDIDATES CAN BE LIMITED TO
PREVENT CORPORATION AND THE
APPEARANCE OF CORRUPTION.
ACCORDING TO THE D.C. AND NINTH
CIRCUITS, HOWEVER, THE
LEGISLATORS MAY NOT FOR BID
MULTIMILLION DOLLAR
CONTRIBUTIONS TO SUPER PACS
BECAUSE THESE CONTRIBUTIONS
DON'T CREATE EVEN AN APPEARANCE
OF CORRUPTION.
THE LAW CURRENTLY SAYS IS THAT
PRESIDENT TRUMP MIGHT BE
CRYPTED BY A $6,000
CONTRIBUTION TO HIS CAMPAIGN.
THAT CONTRIBUTION REMAINS
ILLEGAL.
BUT HE CAN'T BE CORRUPTED BY
THE $50 MILLION THAT SHELTON
AND MIRIAM ED LSON ARE EXPECTED
TO GIVE TO A SUPPER PAC
SUPPORTING HIS RE-ELECTION.
NOT EVEN THE SPEECH NOW OPINION
MAINTAINED THAT THE REGIME OF
CAMPAIGN FINANCE, IF CREATED,
WAS DESIRABLE OR DEFENSIBLE.
AND INSTEAD THE COURT ARGUED
THAT A SINGLE SENTENCE OF THE
CITIZENS UNITED OPINION
COMPELLED ITS RESULTS.
THE SUPREME COURT BRO IN
CITIZENS UNITED INDEPENDENT
EXPENDITURES DO NOT GIVE RISE
TO CORRUPTION OR THE APPEARANCE
OF CORRUPTION, AND THE D.C.
CIRCUIT SAID IN LIGHT OF THE
COURT'S HOLDING IT IS A MATTER
OF LAW THAT INDEPENDENT
EXPENDITURES DO NOT CORRUPT OR
CREATE THE APPEARANCE OF
CORRUPTION, CONTRIBUTIONS TO
GROUPS THAT MAKE ONLY
INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURES ALSO
CANNOT CORRUPT OR CREATE THE
EXPERIENCE OF CORRUPTION.
THAT IS THE WHOLE OPINION IN
ESSENCE.
AND THE FIRST THING TO SAY
ABOUT THIS SUPPOSED IS IT
OBVIOUSLY ISN'T TRUE.
CONTRIBUTIONS TO SUPER PACS CAN
CORRUPT EVEN WHEN EXPENDITURES
BY THESE GROUPS DON'T CORRUPT.
FEDERAL PROSECUTORS HAVE, IN
FACT, INDICTED PUBLIC OFFICIALS
FOR BRIBERY BECAUSE THEY'VE
GIVEN FAVORS OR ALLEGEDLY GIVEN
FAVORS IN EXCHANGE FOR
CONTRIBUTIONS TO SUPER PACS.
COURTS HAVE UPHELD THESE
BRIBERY INDICTMENTS.
YOU CAN'T ESCAPE A BRIBERY
CHARGE BY SAYING PLEASE PAY THE
MONEY TO MY SISTER AND YOU
CAN'T ESCAPE A BRIBERY CHARGE
BY SAYING PLEASE PAY THE MONEY
TO MY SUPER PAC.
OBVIOUSLY A CONTRIBUTION TO A
SUPER PAC CAN CORRUPT.
AND NOTICE THAT THE INDICTMENTS
DON'T SAY THAT THE SUPER PAC
ITSELF DID ANYTHING WRONG.
THEY DON'T SAY THAT ITS
EXPENDITURES CORRUPTED ANYONE.
THE SUPER PACS WERE NOT
INVOLVED IN THE CORRUPT
TRANSACTIONS, PROBABLY DIDN'T
KNOW ABOUT THEM.
CONTRARY TO THE ARGUMENT OF THE
D.C. CIRCUIT, CONTRIBUTIONS TO
SUPER PAC CANS CORRUPT EVEN
WHEN EXPENDITURES DO NOT.
THERE ARE SOME OTHER THINGS TO
SAY ABOUT THIS OPINION.
ONE IS THAT THE STATEMENT ON
WHICH THE COURT RELIES WAS
DICTUM, A NON-BINDING ASIDE.
ANOTHER IS THAT THE SUPREME
COURT DIDN'T MEAN THIS
STATEMENT TO BE TAKEN THE WAY
THE COURT TOOK IT.
YOU'LL FIND ALL OF THOSE POINTS
DEVELOPED IN AN ARTICLE I WROTE
WITH LAWRENCE TALK, THE LOBE
UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR AT
HARVARD, RICHARD PAINTER, THE
WHITE HOUSE ETHICS STAR DURING
THE GEORGE W. BUSH
ADMINISTRATION, AND NORMAN
EISCHEN, THE WHITE HOUSE ETHICS
STAR DURING THE OBAMA
ADMINISTRATION, AND THE FELLOW
YOU SAW LAST WEEK QUESTIONING
ACADEMIC WITNESSES BEFORE THE
HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEDY, AND
YOU CAN FIND -- COMMITTEE.
YOU CAN FIND MY ARTICLE ONLINE
IF YOU WANT TO LOOK FOR IT.
IT MAKES OTHER POINTS.
FOR 43 YEARS, THE SCOUTER SCOUT
HAS DISTINGUISHED BETWEEN
CONTRIBUTION LIMITS AND
EXPENDITURE LIMITS.
IT UPHOLDS CONTRIBUTION LIMITS.
VERY REGULARLY STRIKES DOWN
EXPENDITURE LIMITS ALL THE
TIME.
THE COURT HAS OFFERED FIVE
DISTINCTIONS BETWEEN
CONTRIBUTIONS AND EXPENDITURES.
I'M NOT GOING TO RUN THROUGH
THEM ALL.
YOU FIND THEM ALL DISCUSSED IN
MY ARTICLE, BUT IF YOU GO
THROUGH THEM THE WAY THE
ARTICLE DOES, YOU'LL SEE THAT
CONTRIBUTIONS TO SUPER PACS
JUST CAN'T BE DISTINGUISHED
FROM CONTRIBUTIONS TO
CANDIDATES WHOSE LIMITATION THE
SUPREME COURT ALLOWS.
THE IT MAT QUESTION ABOUT THE
-- POSED BY THE SUPREME COURT'S
CAMPAIGN FINANCE DECISIONS
WHETHER THE SUPER PACS CREATE A
SUFFICIENT APPEARANCE OF
CORRUPTION TO JUSTIFY THAT
LIMITATION AND THE ARTICLE HAS
A LOT ABOUT THAT, TOO.
WE DESCRIBE PUBLIC OPINION
POLLS ON HOW CORRUPT EVERYBODY
BELIEFS AMERICA IS NOW, THE
VIEWS OF WASHINGTON INSIDERS,
POLITICIANS ON BOTH SIDES
TALKING ABOUT HOW CORRUPT SUPER
PAC DONATIONS ARE, AND I THINK
WE SHOW THAT SPEECH NOW HAS
SHARPENED CLASS DIVISIONS AND
HELPED TO TEAR AMERICA APART.
SO IN BRIEF, THE D.C. CIRCUIT
CASE WAS WRONGLY DECIDED.
I THINK THE SUPREME COURT IS
LIKELY TO SAY SO WHEN AN
APPROPRIATE CASE COMES BEFORE
IT.
THAT CASE MAY VERY WELL ARISE
IF SEATTLE LIMITS CONTRIBUTIONS
TO SUPER PACS, AND I HOPE YOU
WILL.
SEATTLE HAS LED THE WAY IN
COMBATING THE CORRUPTION
PRODUCED BY UNLIMITED POLITICAL
CONTRIBUTIONS AND I THINK THIS
CITY'S MISSION IS NOT OVER.
>> THANK YOU, PROFESSOR.
IN TERMS OF YOUR PRESENTATION,
I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
ONE IS ON THE EXPENDITURE
VERSUS CONTRIBUTIONS QUESTION.
IN YOUR REVIEW OF THE ORDINANCE
AS WE HAVE INTRODUCED IT, DO
YOU HAVE ANY OPINIONS BASED ON
YOUR REVIEW OF CASE LAW AND
YOUR EXPERTISE IN THE SPACE, DO
YOU HAVE ANY OPINIONS ABOUT HOW
WE STRUCTURE THE ORDINANCE IN
TERMS OF THIS DISTINCTION
BETWEEN EXPENDITURES NOT BEING
ABLE TO BE POTENTIALLY
REGULATED BUT CONTRIBTIONS
HISTORICALLY BEING ABLE TO BE
REGULATED IF AN INTEREST EXISTS
TO BE ABLE TO DO SO?
>> THE ORDINANCE VERY CAREFULLY
LIMITS ONLY CONTRIBUTIONS.
IT DOES NOT RESTRICT HOW MUCH
-- A SUPER PAC REMAINS FREE TO
SPEND HOWEVER MUCH MONEY IT CAN
COLLECT, BUT IT CAN'T COLLECT
MORE THAN $5,000 FROM ANY ONE
CONTRIBUTOR.
>> WE HAVE NYOUR OPINION, WE
HAVE DRAWN THE LINE BRETT TIER
CLEARLY BETWEEN EXPENDITURES
AND CONTRIBUTIONS, STAYING AWAY
FROM CONTRIBUTIONS AND REALLY
SORT OF SQUARELY FOCUSED ON
CONTRIBUTIONS ONLY.
>> CORRECT.
>> OKAY.
>> EXPENDITURES.
>> STAYING AWAY FROM
EXPENDITURES AND FOCUSING JUST
ON A REASONABLE REGULATION ON
CONTRIBUTIONS.
>> CORRECT.
>> AND THEN ON THE SECOND
THING, YOU MENTIONED A LOT
ABOUT HOW -- IN YOUR REMARKS
YOU TALKED ABOUT HOW NATIONALLY
WHAT THE PERCEPTION IS OF
DEMOCRACY AS A RESULT OF
CONTRIBUTIONS TO SUPER PACS.
IS THERE ANY REASON TO BELIEVE
THAT SEATTLE SOMEHOW IS AN
OUTLIAR IN REGARD TO THAT
SENTIMENT OR IS YOUR REVIEW OF
-- OUTLIAR IN REGARD TO THAT
SENTIMENTS OR IS YOUR REVIEW
PRETTY CONSISTENT ACROSS THE
COUNTRY?
>> I THINK IT IS PRETTY
CONSISTENT.
YOU HEARD THE PUBLIC WITNESS
THIS IS MORNING TALKING ABOUT
HOWDIES COURAGED PEOPLE ARE,
THAT THEY THINK THEIR VOTES
DON'T COUNT ANYMORE, THAT ONLY
MONEY COUNTS.
AND YOU WILL FIND THAT VIEW
EXPRESSED IN NATIONAL PUBLIC
OPINION POLLS.
AND IT IS GETTING WORSE ALL THE
TIME.
I MEAN, THESE POLLS SHOW CHANGE
OVER TIME, AND GREATER CYNICISM
ABOUT POLITICS, GREATER
DISCOURAGEMENT ABOUT POLITICS
EVERYWHERE.
>> ANY QUESTIONS FOR PROFESSOR?
>> OKAY.
THANK YOU, PROFESSOR, SO MUCH.
AND IF YOU HAVE TO LEAVE,
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO DO.
I WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
ALL OF THE WORK YOU HAVE DONE
IN THIS SPACE AND FOR MY OWN
PERM COPY OF YOUR ARTICLE, I DO
HAVE ELECTRONIC COPIES OF THIS
ARTICLE, COLLEAGUES, AND WOULD
BE HAPPY TO CIRCUMSTANCE LITE
THAT AND WE INTEND TO MAKE IT
PART OF OUR CLERK FILE, SO
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING
US AND FOR MAKING THE JOURNEY
OUT THIS WAY TO BE WITH US.
SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND MOVE INTO
THE REST OF OUR PANEL.
WE WHERE RUNNING A LITTLE
BEHIND THIS MORNING, SO I'M
JUST GOING TO ASK THAT FOLKS
LIMIT THEIR COMMENTS
ACCORDINGLY SO THAT WE CAN BE
RESPECTFUL OF MY COLLEAGUES'
TIME AND THE PUBLIC'S TIME.
COUNCILMEMBER, O'BRIEN?
>> I HAVE TO STEP OUT FOR
ANOTHER MEETING, BUT THIS HAS
BEEN REALLY INFORMATIVE AND
AMAZING, AND I APPRECIATE YOU,
CHAIR, FOR FIND SOG MANY
EXPERTS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY
TO WEIGH IN ON THIS.
I APOLOGIZE I'LL MISS YOUR
COMMENTS BUT I'LL CATCH UP ON
THOSE.
AND I AM THRILLED THAT THERE
APPEARS TO BE A REALLY SOLID
PATH TO MOVE FORWARD TO
CONTINUE TO REFORM THE
POTENTIAL FOR CORRUPTION IN OUR
ELECTIONS, WHICH IS IS AWESOME.
>> AND I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE
THAT COUNCILMEMBER O'BRIEN WHO
IS FINISHING UP HIS TENURE, NOT
JUST HIS TERM, BUT HIS TENURE
HERE ON THE CITY COUNCIL, HAS
BEEN A CHAMPION OF DEMOCRACY
REFORM EFFORTS AND CAMPAIGN
FINANCE REFORM LAWS.
I WAS ACTUALLY A COMMISSIONER
ON THE ETHICS AND ELECTION
COMMISSION AT THE TIME WHEN
COUNCILMEMBER O'BRIEN ASKED THE
COMMISSION AT THE POINT TO
OPINE ON A SET OF LAWS THAT
WOULD ALAW FOR PUBLICLY
FINANCED CAMPAIGNS.
THAT WAS THE PREVIOUS IT RATION
TO WHAT WE ULTIMATELY APPROVED
VIA HONEST ELECTIONS SO YOU
HAVE BEEN A HUGE ADVOCATE AND
CHAMPION IN THIS SPACE AND HAVE
BEEN REALLY HUMBLED TO BE ABLE
TO FIN THE LEGACY OF YOUR WORK
AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE LAST
TOUCHES THAT I'M SURE YOU WILL
WANT TO HAVE ON THIS
LEGISLATION.
SO THANK YOU FOR THOSE
CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR CITY.
>> THANK YOU.
>> OKAY.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON.
ALL RIGHT.
JUST SO THE REASON WHY I'M
HERE.
I'M NOT A LEGAL EXPERT.
I AM -- RUN A LOCAL
ORGANIZATION THAT FOCUSES ON
THE DEMOCRACY-RELATED ISSUES,
VOTING RIGHTS, CAMPAIGN FINANCE
REFORM, PUBLIC FUNDING OF
ELECTIONS.
IN FACT, WE USED TO BE
WASHINGTON PUBLIC CAMPAIGNS,
AND WE WORKED TO HELP OVERTURN
THE LAW THAT PROHIBITED PUBLIC
FUNDING OF ELECTIONS TO OPEN
THE DOOR FOR THE VOUCHER
PROGRAM.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT THE VOUCHER
PROGRAM, THOUGH, DOESN'T
ADDRESS THE MONEY COMING IN
FROM OUTSIDE, YOU KNOW, THE
INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURES, THE
SUPER PACS, AND WE THINK WE
NEEDED A WAY TO ADDRESS THAT.
WHEN I HEARD ABOUT THE ST.
PETERSBURG ORDINANCE FROM JOHN,
HE WAS MIKING A PRESENTATION AT
A NATIONAL CONFERENCE WITH SOP
PEOPLE FROM ST. PETERSBURG, I
SAID WHY DON'T WE DO SOMETHING
LIKE THIS IN SEATTLE.
WHY DON'T WE BRING THIS TO A
BIGGER CITY TO TRY TO DEFEND
THE VOUCHERS.
WE WERE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT
THE VOUCHERS AND WANTING TO
PROTECT THAT.
WE KNOW THE ONSLAUGHT OF MONEY
COMING IN IS UNDERMINING THAT.
IT IS DOING -- WE KNOW THE
VOUCHER PROGRAM IS WORKING.
IT IS MORE -- MORE PEOPLE ARE
PARTICIPATING.
IT OPENS THE DOOR FOR PEEP TO
RUN FOR OFFICE THAT COULDN'T,
BUT THE MONEY, WE HAVE TO
ADDRESS THE MONEY.
THE VOUCHERS WERE NEVER
SUPPOSED TO DO THAT.
WE HAVE TO COME UP WITH ANOTHER
SOLUTION, AND THAT IS WHY WE
WANTED TO BRING FORTH THIS
ORDINANCE WITH THE HELP OF FREE
SPEECH FOR PEOPLE AND THEN
THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
GONZALEZ, FOR CHAMPIONING THIS,
BECAUSE WE NEEDED SOMEBODY TO
GET BEHIND THIS TO SUPPORT IT
BECAUSE WE KNOW THE PUBLIC
WANTS THIS.
WE HEAR ALL THE TIME WE'VE DONE
RESEARCH IN THE STATE.
MONEY AND ELECTIONS IS A BIG
ISSUE PEOPLE WANTED TO DEAL
WITH.
AND WE NEED TO BE PROACTIVE.
SEATTLE HAS BEEN AHEAD OF THE
GAME IN SO MANY WAYS, I THINK
WE CAN BE AHEAD OF THE GAME IN
THIS.
SO I REALLY HOPE THAT WE CAN
GET THIS THROUGH AND SET AN
EXAMPLE FOR THE REST OF THE
COUNTRY.
SO THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, SUNDAYY, SO MUCH
FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK AND FOR
YOUR COLLABORATION AND YOUR
PARTNERSHIP WITH US AS WE
CONTINUE TO WORK ON THIS REALLY
IMPORTANT POLICY ISSUE.
WE HAVE REALLY APPRECIATED IT.
ANY QUESTION FOR CINDY AS WE
MOVE DOWN THE LINE?
>> I'LL DEFER TO RON.
>> THANK YOU.
>> I AM GOING TO MAKE A COUP OF
BRIEF BUT WONGISH POINTS ABOUT
THE PUBLIC INTEREST OR
GOVERNMENT INTEREST THAT THE
COUNCIL IDEALLY WOULD HAVE IN
MIND WHEN CONSIDERING THIS TO
MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE THE
CORRECT INTEREST.
SO WITH RESPECT TO THE SUPER
PACS' PROVISION, THE ISSUE
THERE IS THE PREVENTION OF
CORRUPTION, PARTICULARLY QUID
PRO QUO CORRUPTION AND THE
APPEARANCE OF CORRUPTION.
AND THAT IS WHY THE CLEAN
CAMPAIGNS ACT WISELY LIMITS THE
SPENDING FROM INDEPENDENT
EXPENDITURE COMMITTEES BUT NOT
THE -- SORRY.
I SAID THAT BACKWARDS, LIMITS
THE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE
INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURE
COMMITTEES BUT NOT THE SPENDING
FROM THEM.
THE PREVENTION OF
CIRCUMCONVENTION OF THE
CONTRIBUTION LIMITS THAT ARE
ALREADY IN SEATTLE, THE $500
MAXIMUM CONTRIBUTION LIMIT
SALSO A FACTOR TO CONSIDER, BUT
CERTAINLY THE COUNCIL WOULD NOT
WANT TO CONSIDER, FOR EXAMPLE,
THE EXACT NATURE OF INDEPENDENT
EXPENDITURE COMMITTEE'S SPEECH,
WHAT IT IS THAT THEY'RE SAYING,
NOR IS IT REALLY AT ISSUE
WHETHER THE SUPER PACS ARE
COORDINATING THEIR SPENDING
WITH CAMPAIGNS, BUT RATHER
WHETHER THESE VERY LARGE
CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE SUPER PACS
ARE CAUSING CORRUPTION OR THE
APPEARANCE OF CORRUPTION OR
CIRCUMVENTING THE BASIC
CONTRIBUTION LIMITS THAT IS A
SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT LEGAL
FRAMEWORK WHEN WE CONSIDER THE
PROVISION ABOUT FOREIGN
INFLUENCE CORPORATIONS AND
THEIR POLITICAL SPENDING
BECAUSE THERE, AS JUDGE NOW
JUSTICE CAVANAUGH HAS EXPLAINED
IT, THERE IS A PUBLIC INTEREST
THAT CAN BE CONSIDERED AND THAT
IS DEMOCRATIC SELF GOVERNMENT
AND THE PRESERVATION OF NICK
SELF GOVERNMENT.
THE ISSUE HERE IS NOT ZONA
PHOBIA.
-- ZONE PHOBIA.
IT IS CERTAINLY NOT AN
OPPOSITION TO FOREIGN
INVESTMENT IN U.S.
CORPORATIONS, BUT RATHER THE
EXTENT TO WHICH A FOREIGN
INFLUENCED CORPORATION'S
POLITICAL SPENDING CAN THREATEN
THE PRESERVATION OF DEMOCRATIC
SELF GOVERNMENT.
SO I KNOW THAT IS A
PARTICULARLY WONGISH SET OF
POINTS TO MAKE, BUT -- GOOD.
BUT IT WILL BE IMPORTANT TO
HAVE THOSE IN MIND AS THE
ORDINANCE GETS FURTHER
CONSIDERED.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
CHAMPIONING THIS.
IT IS HUGELY IMPORTANT REFORM
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING
WITH YOU ON IT IN THE FUTURE.
>> I THINK ON THE PIECE AROUND
FOREIGN NATIONALS AND SORT OF
WHERE THAT -- WHERE THE AGAIN
SIS OF THAT COMES FROM, AND I
THINK WE'RE SEEING A REAL LIFE
EXAFTERNOON OF WHERE THAT IS
COMING FROM IN TERMS OF OUR
NATIONAL CONVERSATION AROUND
THE IMPEACHMENT TRIALS THAT ARE
HAPPENING IN CONGRESS RIGHT
NOW.
SO WE'RE SEEING -- WE'RE BEING
REMINDED AS TO WHY OUR U.S.
CONSTITUTION IS VERY CLEAR THAT
OUR GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE --
SHOULD BE GOVERNED WE THE
PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTRY, AND IT
IS FUNDAMENTALLY ABOUT
PRESERVING OUR DEMOCRATICKIC
PROCESS AND PROTECTING OUR
CONSTITUTION AND THE PRINCIPLES
AND THE VALUES IN THAT
CONSTITUTION.
SO I THINK IT IS A REALLY
IMPORTANT POINT TO MAKE THAT
THIS GOES BACK FROM THE
INCEPTION OF THE U.S.
CONSTITUTION AND ALSO IS NOT
DRIVEN BY ZENNA PHOBIA OR OTHER
ANTI-FOREIGN NATIONAL
SENTIMENT, BUT REALLY IT IS
ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE
CONSIDERING THESE TYPES OF
REGULATIONS THAT WE ARE
SQUARELY FOCUSED ON GETTING
BACK TO THE INTERNET OF THE
U.S. CONSTITUTION AND IN
FORMING A U.S. GOVERNMENT FOR
PEOPLE OF -- FOR THE PEOPLE OF
THIS COUNTRY AND FOR OREXISTING
DEMOCRATIC PROCESS.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT
REMINDER.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR RON?
>> GOOD.
>> SO I WILL JUST --
>> LAST BUT NOT LEAST.
>> I WILL BRIEFLY SAY FIRST,
COUNCILMEMBER, THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND
CHAMPIONING -- IN CHAMPIONING
THIS MODEL BILL FOR SEATTLE AND
FOR THE NATION.
THANK YOU TO THE COMMITTEE
MEMBERS AS WELL FOR BEING HERE
FOR THIS DISCUSSION.
I'LL JUST BRING US BACK TO WHAT
COUNCILMEMBER RICE FROM ST.
PETERSBURG TALKED ABOUT AT THE
OUTSET WHEN WE WORKED WITH HER
AND OTHER CITY COUNCILMEMBERS
IN ST. PETERSBURG, THE FOCUS
THERE WAS ADDRESSING THE THREAT
OF THE FLOOD OF SUPER PAC
FUNDING EXPENDITURES AS WELL AS
THE THREATS OF FOREIGN
INFLUENCED CORPORATE SPENDING
IN ST. PETERSBURG.
HERE THE ISSUE IS NOT THE
THREAT, IT IS HERE NOW.
SEATTLE IS ALREADY EXPERIENCING
THIS FLOOD WITH RESPECT TO THE
CORRUPTING INFLUENCE OF BIG
MONEY AND THE SUPER PACS AND
WITH REASON TO FOREIGN
INFLUENCED CORPORATE SPENDING
SO THE CITY IS WELL SUITED
DEALING WITH THE FACTS ON THE
GROUND HERE TO ADDRESS THIS
FLOOD AND TO PROTECT ITSELF
DEMOCRACY AND WE'RE PROUD TO BE
WORKING WITH YOU ON THIS MODEL
LEGISLATION.
>> GREAT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> ANY QUESTIONING FOR OUR
PANELISTS OR COMMENT ?
>> JUST ALL OF YOU, THIS IS
SUCH AN IMPORTANT STEP FORWARD
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
I DIDN'T RUN THIS LAST
ELECTION, BUT THE THREE
ELECTIONS PRIOR TO THAT, IT IS
HARD TO RAISE MONEY, AND
ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE DEALING
WITH DEMOCRACY VOUCHERS $25 AT
A TIME, THAT IS A TOUGH
SITUATION, BUT IT IS A RIGHT
SITUATION, SOMETHING THAT WE
REALLY -- WE HAVE RESPECTED IT.
YOU HAD AN OPPORTUNITY, YOU
BOTH DID, TO GET DEMOCRACY
VOUCHERS DURING YOUR CAMPAIGNS.
I'M INTERESTED IN KNOWING A
LITTLE BIT MORE WHERE YOU --
WHEN YOU WORKED WITH ST.
PETERSBURG, WHAT LESSONS DID
YOU LEARN THAT WE SHOULD KNOW
AND PROBABLY IF YOU HAVE
ALREADY BEEN WORKING WITH
COUNCILMEMBER GONZALEZ AND THE
LEGISLATION, IT IS ALREADY
BUILT IN, BUT I'D LOVE TO HEAR
FROM YOU.
WHAT DID YOU LEARN AND WHAT
SHOULD WE BE PAYING ATTENTION
TO.
>> WELL, WE LEARNED CERTAINLY
AT THE OUTSET HOW TO MAKE SURE
THAT THE PUBLIC UNDERSTOOD
THESE THREATS COMING INTO THE
PLYING PROCESS FROM BIG MONEY
DONORS TO SUPER PACS AS WELL AS
THE VEHICLE OF THE CORPORATE
FORUM FOR FOREIGN INFLUENCE IN
OUR ELECTIONS, AND I THINK IN
BOTH INSTANCES WE WERE ABLE TO
BUILD A FIERILY LARGE COALITION
TO SHOW THAT PUBLIC SUPPORT TO
THE CITY COUNCIL AS
COUNCILMEMBER RICE SAID, UNLIKE
THE SITUATION HERE IN SEATTLE,
THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
THERE HAD A LOT OF CONCERNS
ABOUT THE CITY COUNCIL MOVING
FORWARD WITH THIS, BUT THE CITY
COUNCIL MEMBERS ULTIMATELY
DECIDED, AS SHE SAID, DO THE
RIGHT THING, IRRESPECTIVE OF
THAT CONCERN THE CITY
ATTORNEY'S OFFICE WAS
PRESENTING.
WE'RE HAPPY THE CITY ATTORNEY'S
OFFICE HERE SEEMS TO BE VERY
SUPPORTIVE OF, THIS BUT I THINK
GOING FORWARD, HELPING TO
EXPLAIN TO THE PUBLIC WHY THESE
TWO THREATS TO SEATTLE
ELECTIONS NEED TO BE ADDRESSED
WITH THIS LEGISLATION WILL BE
HELPFUL.
>> I HAVE A SENSE THAT THE
PUBLIC HERE HAS ALREADY
RESPONDED WITH ITS VOTES.
AND WHAT WE SAW THREE WEEKS
BEFORE THE ELECTION IN POLLS
AND WHAT WE SAW ON ELECTION
DAY, WHAT WAS IT, 11 PERCENTAGE
POINTS APART?
THAT IS A BIG NUMBER, AND I HAD
MANY CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE
THAT CAME UP TO ME
INDEPENDENTLY, NOT A QUESTION
THAT I HAD ASKED, BUT JUST SAID
THEY WERE SO OFFENDED BY THE
BIG MONEY INVESTMENT THAT THEY
WERE GOING TO VOTE CONTRARY TO
WHAT THEY HAD INTENDED TO JUST
BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T WANT TO BE
TOLD WHAT TO CO.
I THINK THAT THAT IS SOMETHING
THAT THE CORPORATIONS NEED TO
PAY ATTENTION TO.
I HOPE THEY ARE.
BUT GETTING THE PUBLIC REALLY
TO UNDERSTAND TO WHAT WE'RE
TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH AND
THREADING THAT NEEDLE BETWEEN
CITIZENS UNITED AND THE NEW
CASES THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT
FORWARD ARE GOING TO BE REALLY
IMPORTANT.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO ANY
SUGGESTIONS OR ADVISE YOU HAVE
-- ADVICE YOU HAVE AS WE'RE
MAKING THE COMMUNICATIONS
CLEAR.
>> THANK YOU.
>> COUNCILMEMBER PETTER SENN,
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENT ?
>> SURE.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND I
REALLY WANT TO COMPLIMENT
COUNCILMEMBER GONZALEZ ON THIS
BECAUSE BESIDES THIS BEING A
GREAT IDEA WHICH I SUPPORTED
WHEN YOU FIRST DEVELOPED IT, IT
IS THE PROCESS YOU HAVE GONE
THROUGH IN TERMS OF -- IT IS
SORT OF A GOLD STANDARD FOR
PUBLIC POLICY MAKING I WOULD
SAY BECAUSE YOU BROUGHT IN
NATIONAL EXPERTS.
YOU HAVE LOOKED AT WHAT OTHER
CITIES HAVE DONE.
YOU WENT TO OUR COMMISSION AND
PRESENTED IT AND GOT THOSE
OPINIONS AND WORKED WITH LOCAL
GROUPS AS WELL.
SO THE AMOUNT OF DUE DILIGENCE
THAT HAS GONE INTO THIS IS
INCREDIBLE, IN ADDITION TO JUST
IDENTIFYING A GAP AND FILLING
IT.
SO I APPRECIATE THAT.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SAYING
SO.
WE HAVE BEEN MULTITASKING IN MY
OFFICE DOING BUDGET AND OTHER
POLICY ISSUES AND DEVELOPING
SORT OF THE PLAN AROUND THE DUE
DILIGENCE AND IN THE BACKGROUND
AND EXECUTING IT, SOMETIMES
QUIETLY, BUT DELIBERATELY AND
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR
RECOGNITION OF THAT HARD WORK
AND A LOT OF CREDIT GOES TO MY
STAFF WHO HAS BEEN EXEMPLARY IN
THIS AREA AND JUST MAKING SURE
THAT EVERYBODY IS ON BOARD AND
READY AND PREPARED, SO THANK
YOU, V., FOR ALL OF THE WORK
YOU HAVE BEEN DOG ON THIS.
>> THANK YOU, V.
>> THANK YOU.
>> AND BRIANNA THOMAS AS WELL
IN MY OFFICE.
IT IS ALWAYS A TEAM EFFORT, SO
I REALLY DO APPRECIATE IT.
THERE IS GOING TO BE MORE TO
COME ON THIS BILL THIS IS A
FIRST BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION.
I WANT TO ALSO REALLY THANK
LISH FOR HIS EFFORTS ON MAKING,
ON DRAFTING, PUTTING THE DRAFT
TOGETHER, MAKING SURE THAT WE
ARE DOTTING AUTOMATIC OF THE
I.'S AND CROSSING ALL OF THE
T'S AND IN YOUR EXPERTISE AND
MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE WELL
STAFFED ON THIS FROM THE
COUNCIL CENTRAL STAFF
PERSPECTIVE.
I WANT TO THANK CINDY TO
BRINGING THIS ISSUE TO ME IN
THE FIRST PLACE IN OCTOBER OF
201 IS WHEN WE FIRST HAD A
CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT THIS
KIND OF LAW COULD LOOK LIKE AND
I REALLY APPRECIATED YOUR
GUIDANCE AND YOUR PARTNERSHIP
IN DEVELOPING THE LEGISLATION
AND IN MAKING SURE THAT THE
PUBLIC, THAT OUR NEIGHBORS AND
PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITIES,
VOTERS WHO ARE IMPACTED BY BIG
MONEY AND IN POLITICS
UNDERSTAND WHAT THE BILL IS AND
THAT WE ARE CONTINUING TO BUILD
SUPPORT.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR
GRASS ROOT EFFORTS THERE AS
WELL.
AND THEN JOHN AND RON, THANK
YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING OUR LEGAL
BRAINS ON MANY OF THESE COMPLEX
ISSUES AN ALWAYS BEING WILLING
TO TALK TO US ON THE PHONE.
I KNOW THAT YOU ARE AS E
QUELLLY ACCESSIBLE TO ANY OF MY
COLLEAGUES AND THAT YOU ALL
PLAN TO SET UP INDIVIDUAL
MEETINGS AND OFFER YOURSELVES
AS EXPERTS IN THIS SPACE TO
MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS FEEL LIKE
THEY HAVE THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF
INFORMATION THAT THEY NEED TO
FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THIS
LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE AND TO HAVE
ANY SORT OF QUESTIONS ANSWERED
AS FOLKS MAY BE CONSIDERING
POTENTIAL AMENDMENTS TO THE
ORDINANCE.
SO -- AND THEN I JUST WANT TO
THANK BOTH OF YOU FOR BEING
HERE TODAY.
AND REALLY I THINK THIS IS AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR US AND IT HAS
BEEN STATED MULTIPLE TIMES TO
NOT JUST FRAME THE CONVERSATION
HERE AT HOME IN SEATTLE ABOUT
HOW THIS REALLY HAS AN IMPACT
ON HOW PEOPLE PERCEIVE OUR THE
DEMOCRATIC PROCESS BUT ALSO ON
THE IMPACT TO VOTER
SUPPRESSION.
THERE IS A NUMBER THAT SAYS 26%
OF VOTERS DECIDE NOT TO VOTE
WHEN BIG MONEY PLAYS INTO SUPER
PACS.
THAT NUMBER IS IN THE MID 30S
WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
AFRICAN-AMERICAN VOTERS, LOW-
INCOME VOTERS AND LATIN VOTERS,
AND SO WE ALSO HAVE HEARD
NUMBERS THAT 77% OF AMERICANS
HAVE LOST FAITH THAT THEIR VOTE
EVEN COUNTS AT ALL WHEN WE HAVE
A SUPER PAC SYSTEM LIKE THE ONE
WE DO NOW WHICH IS COMPLETELY
UNREGULATED, UNFETTERED
CONTRIBUTIONS CAN COME IN AT
ANY POINT, TO THESE POLITICAL
ACTION COMMITTEES.
THOSE NUMBERS SHOULD BE
STARTLING TO US, AND WE HAVE NO
REASON TO BELIEVE THAT SOMEHOW
SEATTLE IS AN OUTLIAR AND WE'RE
A UNICORN IN THIS M IS OF
CORRUPTION AND THAT ISN'T A
SENTIMENT THAT PEOPLE HOLD
HERE.
I DO BELIEVE PEOPLE IN SEATTLE
WANT TO SEE BIG MONEY OUT OF
POLITICS.
WE KNOW THAT BECAUSE THEY HAVE
OPENINGLY SUPPORTED INITIATIVES
LIKE INITIATIVE 122 WHICH IS
HONEST ELECTIONS AND INITIATIVE
735, WHICH WAS THE STATEWIDE
INITIATIVE AROUND GETTING A
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
OVERTURNED CITIZENS UNITED SO
WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE HERE AT
HOME IN SEATTLE AND ACROSS THE
STATE FEEL VERY STRONGLY ABOUT
THIS ISSUE, AND IT IS A
BIPARTISAN ISSUE, ACROSS THE
IDEOLOGICAL SPECTRUM AND
POLITICAL SPECTRUM.
THERE IS WIDE SUPPORT FOR A
BILL LIKE THIS, AND WE HAVE A
REAL OPPORTUNITY TO, AGAIN, NOT
JUST FRAME UP THE ISSUE AND DO
THE RIGHT THING HERE IN
SEATTLE, BUT HOPEFULLY INSPIRE
OTHERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO
ALSO DO THE SAME.
SO I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE
ONGOING CONVERSATION, WHICH
WILL OCCUR OBJECT DECEMBER 19th
HERE IN CHAMBERS AGAIN AT 9:30
APP THAT WILL WITH OUR FIRST
OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY DIG INTO
ISSUE IDENTIFICATION AND
POTENTIAL OPTIONS FOR
ADDRESSING THOSE OPTIONS --
ISSUES, AND THEN WE WILL BREAK
FOR RECESS THAT WILL BE THE
LAST COMMITTEE MEETING FOR MY
COMMITTEE HERE AND WE WILL
BREAK FOR RECESS AS A COWBOY
SILL AND WE WILL TAKE THE ISSUE
BACK UP ON JANUARY 7, WHICH
WILL BE A TUESDAY.
I THINK WE'RE STILL WORKING ON
A TIME.
WE'RE STILL WORKING ON A TIME
BASED ON FOLKS' AVAILABILITY.
AND MY HOPE IS THAT WE'LL BE
ABLE TO GET AN AMENDED VERSION
OF THE BY, IF ANY AMENDMENTS DO
COME FORWARD, OUT OF COMMITTEE
ON JANUARY # AND IN FRONT OF
THE NEW FEW CITY COUNCIL THAT
TOKING MONDAY, WHICH I BELIEVE
IS THE -- THAT FOLLOWING
MONDAY, WHICH I BELIEVE IS THE
16th?
>> THE 13th.
>> OH, DAY -- IT IS THE 13th.
I -- FOR THE VIEWING PUBLIC AND
JUST FOR TRANSPARENCY SAKE, I
WILL NOT BE HERE ON JANUARY
13th BECAUSE MY BABY IS DUE ON
JANUARY 12th, AND I'M JUST LIKE
LIGHTING EVERY CANDLE I CAN
POSSIBLY LIGHT IN THE HOPES
THAT THIS BABY WON'T COME
BEFORE JANUARY 7th, BUT WE HAVE
A PLAN IN PLACE AND REALLY
EXCITED THAT COUNCILMEMBER LISA
HERBOLD HAS AGREED TO SEE THIS
OVER THE FINISH LINE IF FOR
SOME REASON I AM NOT ABLE TO BE
HERE WITH YOU ALL, BUT WE'LL
CERTAINLY BE HERE IN SPIRIT IF
I CAN'T BE HERE IN PERSON.
>> THANK YOU.
>> COUNCILMAN PEDERSEN SAID IT
ARTICLY AS WELL.
COUNCILWOMAN GONZALEZ, THIS IS
CHAMPION STUFF.
I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN
DOING AND ALSO THE WAY YOU'RE
DOING IT AND IN REACHING OUT TO
ST. PETERSBURG AND HEARING WHAT
THEY HAVE DONE THE SAME ISSUES
WE'RE FACING THAT WAS A REALLY
BRILLIANT MOVE.
TWO YEARS INTO THIS THEY HAVE
NOT BEEN SUED AND IT IS
ENTIRELY POSSIBLE WE WILL SEE
THAT, BUT JUST THE WAY YOU HAVE
BEEN GOING ABOUT DOG THIS,
IMSTREAMLY IMPRESSIVE AND I
JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.
WE WILL ALSO BE PUTTING
TOGETHER A CLERK FILE TO PUT
TOGETHER OUR LEGISLATIVE
INTENT.
SO PLEASE, COLLEAGUES, KEEP
THAT IN MIND AS YOU'RE DOING
YOUR OWN INDEPENDENT RESEARCH
AND WORKING WITH LISH, IF YOU
FIND RELEVANT LAW REVIEW
ARTICLES, NEWS ARTICLES, OTHER
PIECES OF INFORMATION THAT HELP
US ARTICULATE THE -- NOT JUST
THE THREAT, BUT THE REALITY OF
WHAT IS HAPPENING IN OUR
DEMOCRATIC PROCESS HERE.
WE ARE COMPILING, ACTIVELY
COMPILING THAT ACTION TO
DEVELOP AUTO CLERK FILE THAT
WILL JOIN THE PASSAGE OF THIS
COUNCIL BILL TO REALLY PIN DOWN
THE FACT THAT WE ARE ADDRESSING
A REAL ISSUE WITH A REAL
SOLUTION, TO ADDRESS THOSE
ISSUES.
>> A QUICK THING, AND THIS
COMES BACK TO RON AND JOHN,
TOO, TO YOUR POINTS, I REALLY
LIKE THE FACT THAT WE'VE GOT A
LAW REVIEW IS.
THERE ANYTHING FROM THE
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON LAW
SCHOOL OR SEATTLE UNIVERSITY
THAT HAS BEEN WRITTEN OR WE
COULD REQUEST TO BECOME PART OF
THE CLERK FILE?
>> THESE ARE FIERILY
SPECIALIZED TOPICS ABOUT WHOM
NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE
WRITING, SO I DON'T BELIEVE
THERE IS ANYTHING DIRECTLY ON
POINT FROM ONE OF THE LAW
SCHOOLS IN SEATTLE.
I COULD LOOK TO SEE.
BUT REALLY PROFESSORS A.
ALSHUDDER AND TRIBE HAVE BEEN
AT THE FOREFRONT OF THIS ISSUE,
TAKE TONG SUPER PACS ISSUE AND
IN TERMS OF THE ISSUE OF
FOREIGN INFLUENCED CORPORATIONS
AND THEIR POLITICAL SPENDING,
IT IS COMMISSIONER WEINTRAUB
AND PROFESSOR COATES, SO THESE
ARE THE EXPERTS THAT WE HAVE
HERE.
THAT IS NOT TO SAY THERE AREN'T
PEOPLE IN THE SEATTLE AREA LAW
SCHOOLS WHO COULDN'T DEVELOP
THAT EXPERTISE AS WELL, BUT SO
FAR IT HAS NOT BEEN -- THE
ISSUE OF EXPERTISE THAT HAS
BEEN THERE HAS NOT BEEN FROM
THOSE PARTICULAR SCHOOLS.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT
I THINK THAT THAT JUST ALSO
UNDERSCORES THE WORK THAT YOU
HAVE DONE IS YOU HAVE THE
NATIONAL EXPERTS WEIGHING IN.
YOU HAVE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE
WRITING AS MY CONTRACTS'
PROFESSOR USED TO SAY, THE BOOK
ON THIS.
AND SO I HOPE THAT WE CAN BUILD
ON THIS.
BUT I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THE
FACT THAT LOCALLY WE'VE GOT
PEOPLE WHO ARE WEIGHING IN AND
ADVISING US AS WELL.
>> WE DO HAVE A PROFESSOR ON
THE EAST COAST WHO HAS ZONE A
FAIR AMOUNT OF EVALUATION AND
ANALYSIS OF OUR DEMOCRACY
VOUCHER PROGRAM, AND SO WE HAVE
BEEN IN CONTACT WITH HER AND
THEY HAVE BEEN DOING RESEARCH
INDEPENDENT OF THIS EFFORT THAT
IS JUST PART OF THE EVALUATION
OF THE DEMOCRACY VOUCHER
PROGRAM AND WE HOPE TO BE ABLE
TO INCORPORATE SOME OF HER
FINDINGS?
THE REPORTS.
I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER OF THE
NAME OF THE UNIVERSITY [
>> STONY BROOK.
>> JENNIFER HERWIG.
>> THAT IS CORRECT.
JENNIFER HERWIG, STONY BROOK?
>> STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW
YORK.
>> STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW
YORK.
I AM LIKE AUTO SEIF THESE DAYS
WITH INFORMATION.
>> CAN I HAVE IT?
PROFESSOR TRIBE DID SUBMIT
WRITTEN TESTIMONY TO THE
SEATTLE ETHICS AND ELECTIONS
COMMISSION IN SUPPORT OF THIS
BILL AND HE WILL BE SUBMITTING
WRITTEN TESTIMONY IN SUPPORT OF
THIS BILL BEFORE THE CITY
COUNCIL.
>> YES.
>> AND WE DIDN'T MENTION IT
BEFORE, BUT THE P.D.
C. ALSO HEARD ABOUT THIS AND IS
IN SUPPORT OF IT AS WELL.
>> THE WASHINGTON --
>> THE WASHINGTON STATE P.D.
C.
>> OKAY.
>> DO WE HAVE ANYTHING IN
WRITING FROM THEM?
>> WE DO WE HAVE A LETTER FROM
THEM AND WE ALSO HAVE A LETTER
FROM THE SEATTLE ETHICS
COMMISSION.
ALL OF THAT WILL BE CONDENSED
DOWN INTO A CLERK FILE, SO
WE'RE HOPING TO BE ABLE TO,
AGAIN, BUILD AS ROBUST OF A
CLERK FILE AS WE CAN.
SO AS YOU ALL ARE KIN
CONTINUING TO ASK QUESTIONS AND
THINKING ABOUT THINGS, PLEASE
FEEL FREE TO FLAG SOME OF THOSE
RESOURCES FOR LISH AND MY
OFFICE SO THAT WE CAN
INCORPORATE IT INTO THE CLERK
FILE.
>> WE HAVE A GOOD LITTLE STACK
GOING ALREADY, BUT IT ALWAYS IS
WELCOME TO ADD MORE TO THAT I
GUESS.
OKAY.
IF THERE ARE NO OTHER QUESTIONS
OR COMMENTS, THEN WE HAVE
REACHED THE END OF OUR AGENDA.
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR
FLEXIBILITY.
WE'RE ABOUT 20 MINUTES OVER
TIME, BUT REALLY APPRECIATE
YOUR FLEXIBILITY AND
WILLINGNESS TO JOIN US HERE AND
YOUR ONGOING ENGAGEMENT.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, THIS
MEETING NOW ADJOURNED.
>> THANK YOU.