California State Assembly
Republican Leader Dave Cox
State Capitol* Sacramento, CA 95814
Not Printed at Taxpayers Expense
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Peter DeMarco (916) 804-1848
September 26, 2003
COX DENOUNCES BUSTAMANTE’S SMEAR TACTICS ON PROPOSITION 54, CALLS ON LT. GOVERNOR TO PULL ADS IMMEDIATELY
SACRAMENTO – Assembly Republican Leader Dave Cox (R-Fair Oaks) today released the following statement on Proposition 54:
“With eleven days until a historic election, I am troubled but not surprised that opponents of Proposition 54 are using illegal campaign contributions to scare and mislead the people of California as they consider how to vote on this measure. While I have not taken a position on Proposition 54, I cannot stand idly by and allow these irresponsible half-truths to be disseminated without a response.
“Californians should be outraged that Lieutenant Governor Cruz Bustamante, in his quest to run for Governor, has been airing a series of political ads which falsely claim that the health of the people of California would be put at risk if Proposition 54 were to be approved by the voters. This is simply not true, and Mr. Bustamante knows it. What does it say about Mr. Bustamante, who aspires to run our state, that he illegally transferred funds from one account to another in order to run these ads. His contempt for the law is reprehensible, in that he is defying a court order by continuing to run these ads with illegal campaign contributions that misrepresent the facts about Proposition 54.
“I’ve read the proposal, and here are the facts. Proposition 54 contains an important exemption for medical patients and medical research subjects. More importantly, a provision in Clause B of Proposition 54 grants the Legislature and the governor, whomever that may be, the authority to override the initiative in all areas except for public education, public employment, and public contracting.
“Regardless or whether you support or oppose Proposition 54, and regardless of whether anyone is satisfied with the language in the medical exemption or not, I doubt that any legislator would stand by and allow the health of the people of California to be put at risk. There is a clear provision in the initiative that allows the Legislature and the governor to prevent that from happening. Those who say that a two-thirds majority is an unreasonable threshold should remember the Legislature passes bills on a frequent basis with a two-thirds majority. Certainly, no one in our caucus will allow the health of any Californian to be placed in danger.
“I urge the Lt. Governor to do the right thing and discuss Proposition 54 on the merits of the issue, and not to inflame or needlessly frighten the people of our state by making false and misleading statements about its health effects.
“There is absolutely no reason for the public to be concerned about the health effects of Proposition 54. All forms of ‘medical research,’ including health studies and epidemiological research could continue pursuant to the medical exemption. The Legislature clearly has the authority, granted by Clause B of the initiative, to intervene and clarify this issue should that become necessary, and I have every confidence that such would be readily accomplished. It is time for this campaign of deceit to end, and Mr. Bustamante would be well served to pull these ads immediately.”