California passed a law in 2022 to limit ‘pay to play’ in local politics. Now, after two years, legislators want to gut it.

Nearly 100 committees are sitting on $35 million in leftover campaign funds for California legislative seats and statewide offices, including one for 29th District Assembly member Mark Stone, who did not seek re-election this year. 

With few exceptions, the grand jury report’s observations, conclusions and recommendations landed squarely on one side of the city’s political divide–led by Mayor Lisa Gillmor–that was on the losing end of the 2020 council elections, promping the 49ers to call for an investigation of the grand jury for conflicts of interest. Today, the final version of the report revealed that two members had recused themselves because of possible conflicts.

Among the biggest beneficiaries of Govern For California, a network of local chapters — 'force mulipliers' — that amplifies its donors’ influence on legislative races, is Assemblymember Robert Rivas, who wants to become the next Assembly speaker.