Consumer Watchdog Campaign: Insurance Billionaire Backing Prop 33 Adds $500K As Measure Drops In Polls

Campaign "supporters" that have been paid directly by Mercury, Joseph and the Prop 33 campaign include:

$69,100 - State Senator Juan Vargas

$220,000 - Greenlining Institute

$30,000 - Roy M. Perez, Immediate Past Chair, CA Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

$113,000 - Former State Senator Don Perata

$75,000 - Peace Officers Research Association of California

$753,000 - Brandi King, Adriana Calderon, Eric Goto of Marketplace Communications

Roy M. Perez, the Immediate Past Chair of the California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, owns RMP Strategies which has been paid $30,000 as a consultant by the Yes on 33 campaign. Former Senator Perata received at least $43,100 in campaign contributions from Mercury and Joseph, and was paid consulting fees from a nonprofit paid $75,000 by Mercury. The CA Hispanic Chambers of Commerce, PORAC, Senators Vargas and Perata were all featured in yesterday's Los Angeles Times ad.

The Greenlining Institute opposed a measure nearly identical to Prop 33 in 2010, but reversed its position after a $25,000 contribution received from Mercury this spring, which was followed by another $195,000 contribution in September. Greenlining is also featured in the Los Angeles Times ad.

Last month, Prop 33 TV ads were caught falsely representing two women – Brandi King and Adriana Calderon – as regular drivers without disclosing that they work for the PR firm, Marketplace Communications, that has been paid over $750,000 to run the campaign.  Currently, Marketplace employee Eric Goto is featured in banner web site advertising posing as a disinterested voter voting on Prop 33.

Congressman John Garamendi, California's first elected insurance commissioner and former Lt. Governor, today announced his opposition to Proposition 33. He joins every major consumer group in California, including Consumers Union, the nonprofit publishers of Consumer Reports, Consumer Federation of California, Consumer Action and Consumer Watchdog who oppose Proposition 33 because it would unfairly raise rates on new drivers, and Californians who stop driving for good reasons, even if they have perfect driving records.

The coalition of organizations opposing Prop 33 represents seniors, civil rights, workers, women and faith-based organizations including: California Nurses Association, California Council of Churches IMPACT, California NOW, California Labor Federation, MALDEF, Equal Justice Society, California Alliance for Retired Americans and many more. Find the coalition members at: http://stopprop33.consumerwatchdogcampaign.org/stop-proposition-33-coalition-partners

For more information on why to vote No on Prop 33 visit: http://stopprop33.consumerwatchdogcampaign.org/

SOURCE Consumer Watchdog Campaign

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