Proposition 6 is a November ballot initiative sponsored by Republican State Senator George Runner and funded by billionaire Henry Nicholas III. It will divert billions from schools, healthcare, and firefighters to fund surveillance, arrest, and incarceration in California. Prop 6 is a politically-motivated effort that runs counter to virtually all non-partisan policy analysis and was designed by Sacramento-based lobbyists to serve the interests of their clients.

The following is a list of the major donors to the Yes on Prop. 6 campaign as well as a summary of their interest in the measure ...

Henry T. Nicholas III: $1 million

• The primary donor to Prop 6, Henry T. Nicholas III, was indicted on June 5, 2008 on 25 counts of drug, prostitution, extortion, and conspiracy. He is also facing charges of backdating and fraud for his Silicon Valley corporation Broadcom.

• Allegations against him include statements that he has “spiked the drinks of technology executives” and that his pilot was forced to don an oxygen mask when Nicholas and his guests filled the cabin with marijuana smoke.

• A year ago, the Chicago Tribune reported that Nicholas had “plans for a secret and convenient lair for [him] to indulge his ‘manic obsession with prostitutes’ and ‘addiction to cocaine and Ecstasy.’” He is accused of “using death threats and payoffs to conceal his unlawful conduct,”

• Nicholas has maintained innocence, telling the Chicago Tribune in 2007, “I do not have any moral issues with what I have done.” He has cited his support for tougher sentencing as evidence against his own wrongdoing.

• Despite the defendant’s many charges, the Runner campaign has refused to give back Nicholas’ money. The propositions’ sponsor, Senator George Runner (R-17) went so far as to accuse Prop 6’s opponents of creating a political stunt to “undermine” his initiative (Sacramento Bee).

• Nicholas will face trial in early 2009.

Larry Rasmussen: $200 thousand

• Larry Rasmussen is a long-time Republican donor and president of Spirit Holdings, which is based in State Senator George Runner’s district.

• Spirit Holdings is the largest real estate developer in the San Fernando Valley and is just one of many heavy construction companies and developers behind Prop. 6. Rasmussen’s colossal developments in this area have earned him a reputation as the “local lever of hills.”

George Runner for Senate: $50 thousand

• This is Senator George Runner’s political finance committee. Many of its donors would benefit from Prop. 6’s provisions to build jails and create more sentencing and incarceration.

• Runner opposes big spending in Sacramento, yet his proposition takes money from environmental protection, education, road and levy repair, services to the mentally ill, and virtually every area of state government. Instead, Runner would have taxpayer dollars go to his special interest allies in Sacramento.

• His major donors include pharmaceutical companies, at least 15 health insurance organizations, and other major Prop 6 donors, such as Golden State Bail Agents Assn. PAC, Association of Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs (ALADS), and the Peace Officer Research Association of California. These Prop. 6 donors are all represented by Prop. 6 insiders John Lovell or Warner and Pank.

Committee to Re-elect Gary C. Ovitt: $50 thousand

• Gary Ovitt is a Republican supervisor in San Bernardino County and a co-sponsor of the Runner initiative.

• His supporters have included potential Prop. 6 beneficiaries such as the Safety Employees Benefits Association PAC which is a bargaining unit for the San Bernardino County Deputy Sheriffs and District Attorney Investigators organization. Police organizations and construction companies, also support Ovitt. All of these organizations would benefit from Prop. 6’s locked-in funding.

Golden State Bail Agents’ Association for Public Safety: $40 thousand

• The Golden State Bail Agents’ Association for Public Safety is a lobbying organization that protects the interests of state bail agents.

• Prop 6’s provisions to make over 50 changes to criminal law would increase sentencing and incarceration and thus generate more revenue for bail agents.

• The Bail Agents’ website states that they support the initiative because it would “reduce jail overcrowding,” but Prop 6 would likely result in MORE prison crowding while allowing jails to go up in residential neighborhoods. Based in Thousand Oaks, CA, which is in Senator George Runner’s district.

California Association of Health Underwriters PAC: $35 thousand

• This association for health insurance companies, brokers, and other professionals supports Prop 6 even though it would strip funding from health care and education in California. In fact, this initiative would expressly prohibit some funds from going to county mental health and drug treatment.

• This organization is represented in Sacramento by lobbyist John Lovell, whose clients stand to benefit from Prop 6’s locked-in law enforcement spending.

• George Runner serves on the California Banking, Finance, and Insurance commission and receives large contributions from the insurance industry. He has partnered with this organization on issues such as opposition to single-payer health care. Based in Fresno, CA.

Friends of Sharon Runner: $25 thousand

• This is the fund-raising committee for State Assembly member Sharon Runner (R-36), wife of Senator George Runner.

• This committee includes many organizations that would directly benefit from monetary provisions of Prop. 6 and many who have donated directly to Prop. 6. Contributors include L.A. County Probation Officers Union PAC, the Professional Peace Officers Association, and the Golden State Bail Agents’ Association for Public Safety. It also includes the California Association of Health Underwriters PAC.

Peace Officer Research Association of California: $25 thousand

• The Peace Officer Research Association of California claims to take a “leadership role in organizing, empowering and representing the interests of rank and file peace officers.”

• Lobbyist John Lovell represents this and other prison-related organizations in California.

• Under Prop 6, law enforcement organizations such as this will benefit from locked-in funding that will drain the budget regardless of the state deficit and will require a ¾ supermajority vote to alter.

• Recently, the LAO condemned a major provision of Prop. 6 that would fund members of this organization, saying that it distributed money with no accountability and no guidelines
Based in Sacramento, CA.

Committee to Elect Brad Mitzelfelt: $10 thousand

• Brad Mitzelfelt is a San Bernardino County Republican supervisor who is currently seeking reelection. Many of his contributors, including the Safety Employees Benefit Association, would benefit from Prop. 6.

• Mitzelfelt’s reelection campaign was recently accused of setting up “phony corporations” to disguise the fact that their donors are developers (Desert Dispatch, May 10, 2008).
Mitzelfelt is against reducing greenhouse gas emissions and opposes a project to promote solar power in his district.

Appriss, INC: $5 thousand

• Appriss, INC operates the California Victims Information and Notification Everyday (VINE) program, which would receive 2.5 million dollars from Prop 6.

• Appriss, INC manufactures technology that tracks inmates, court cases, the sale of pseudo ephedrine and legal documents.

• Sacramento lobbyists Warner and Pank, LLC, represent Appriss, along with many other prison-related associations. Based in Louisville, KY.

Behavioral Interventions Incorporated: $2 thousand

• Behavioral Interventions Incorporated is a Colorado company that provides GPS monitoring devices, surveillance services, and has been directly involved in probation services in California. They will potentially benefit from increased probation funding.

• Warner and Pank, LLC also represent them. Based in Boulder, CO.

Warner and Pank, LCC: $2 thousand

• Nick Warner and Karen Pank are lobbyists who aim to influence law and legislation on public sector issues.

• A long-term Republican figure in Sacramento, Pank left the Schwarzenegger campaign to lobby for many prison-related organizations that would benefit from the passage of Prop. 6. These include CA Health Underwriters, Appriss INC, and Behavioral Interventions Incorporated, and California Probation Parole and Correctional Association.

• Warner and Pank represent many powerful groups within the prison-industrial complex and rely upon taxpayer dollars to fund programs and technologies that these corporations provide.
Based in Sacramento, CA.

Vanir Construction Management, INC: $1 thousand

• Vanir Construction Management, INC is a private prison-construction company that has completed at least 50 prison and jail related construction jobs for California in the past 25 years.

• They have profited from construction work on California State Prison San Quentin, California State Prison Folsom, and California State Prison Lancaster, among others.

• Having already profited from $9 billion dollars in contracts with California government, this company would directly benefit from Prop. 6 locking in $500 million for prison construction,

• Vanir, INC would potentially benefit from Prop. 6’s provisions to allow jail facilities in residential areas and to convert public buildings into prison facilities. Based in Sacramento, CA.

Corrections Corp of America (CCA): $1 thousand

• Corrections Corp of America (CCA) is a jail services provider that houses California inmates out of state. Due to current prison and jail overcrowding, Prop. 6 would potentially increase their contracts.

• CCA claims to be the founder of the private corrections industry and the nation's largest provider of jail, detention and corrections services to governmental agencies.

• They are also likely to benefit from Prop. 6’s allocation of $500 million to build new jails. Based in Nashville, TN.

Safety Employees’ Benefit Association Measure Committee: $1 thousand

• Safety Employees’ Benefit Association Measure Committee protects the interests and incomes of sheriffs, probation officers, district attorneys, and coroners.

• These officials would directly benefit from fixed funding guaranteed by Prop 6.
Based in San Bernardino County.

DLR Group: $1 thousand

• The DLR Group is a large national prison construction company. They claim that they are responsible for $3.5 billion in the prison construction market.

• They would potentially benefit from Prop. 6’s provision of $500 million to build new jails. Based in Omaha, NE

Source: Secretary of State website at http://cal-access.sos.ca.gov/Campaign/Committees/Detail.aspx?id=1301754&session=2007