The Hindu : International : Row over fund-raisers

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Feb 11, 2005

International

International

Row over fund-raisers

Los Angeles: All major credit cards are accepted. Four photographs of yourself and the Governor are included. And you can bring three friends. For $100,000, Californians are being invited to dinner with Arnold Schwarzenegger. The less extravagant may wish to consider the $10,000 option, though they should be aware that this entitles them only to a single photograph of the Governor and no seat at the top table. The seats are on sale for four events scheduled for the coming months by Citizens to Save California, a group set up to raise money for a $50-million campaign in which some of the Governor's concerns will be placed before voters in a special election this year under California's ``initiative'' system. But the fundraising has caused a political storm and led to the first meaningful protests against Mr. Schwarzenegger. A meeting at a hotel in Sacramento, the State capital, was picketed by protesters as a plane towed a banner over the event alleging that the Governor is in cahoots with big business. Protesters have been riled by budget cuts which have hit health services and education, despite assurances made by Mr. Schwarzenegger during last year's budget round that these areas would be protected. But the fundraising drive has also raised concerns that the Governor, whose poll ratings still show him enjoying wide support, is violating new guidelines. A group called The Rest of Us filed a petition with an electoral watchdog on Monday alleging that the fundraising groups are controlled by Mr. Schwarzenegger.

- Guardian Newspapers Limited 2004

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