In the first major public action by the Alliance for a Better California this year, nearly 500 nurses, firefighters, teachers and school classified employees marched in front of the Beverly Hilton Hotel March 20. Inside, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was hosting a fundraiser that netted his campaign war chest more than $2 million.

 

Chanting "Favors in, favors out, that's what Arnold's all about!" the crowd threw a spotlight on the massive influence that rich donors and corporate interests continue to have on the governor.

 

The Beverly Hills event, where donors paid as much as $100,000 to dine with Schwarzenegger, pushed the governor ahead of the fundraising efforts of his major opponents, CTA-endorsed candidate Phil Angelides and his Democratic rival Steve Westly. Many in the crowd lamented the governor's turnaround from his promise to be a different kind of politician, one who didn't need to spend time fundraising or to take special interest money.

 

Speaking on behalf of CTA was Vice President David A. Sanchez, who drew cheers of approval as he blasted the governor's record of broken promises. "This governor promised to pay back the money he took from this state's children, and he still hasn't done it. He's inside right now breaking another promise by raising millions of dollars in special interest money."

 

Arizona Sen. John McCain raised eyebrows by appearing as a "special guest" at the event. The author of a federal law placing restrictions on federal officeholders' taking part in events that solicit funds for parties and candidates, McCain's appearance at the event presented an obvious conflict. The McCain camp tried to get around the intent of the law by including a disclaimer on the event invitation stating that the senator was not soliciting money.

 

"He's a special guest at a fundraiser, and he allows his name to be used on the invitations, yet he says he's not soliciting money," said Sanchez. "The senator is clearly breaking the spirit of his own law by helping the governor raise this outrageous amount."

 

Alliance members were especially critical of Schwarzenegger's "March madness" of fundraising that had recently taken him out of state on several occasions when he should have been dealing with California's problems.

 

Pat McOsker, president of United Firefighters of Los Angeles City, summed up the sentiment of the crowd: "The governor claimed that he went to Washington, D.C., to bring back federal dollars to help shore up the state's levees. But instead, he ended up raising more money for his own campaign than he did for the entire state of California.

 

"That's not leadership."