CAC 2201 E. WILLOW ST. D-333, SIGNAL HILL, CA 90806. 310-437-3373 URGENT UPDATE ON RECALL OF ANTI-GUN CALIF SENATE PRESIDENT DAVID ROBERTI PETITION DRIVE ABOUT TO STALL DUE TO LACK OF FUNDS Dear Citizen Against Corruption: Well there's good news and bad news. The bad news is that we had to fire our petition firm for what at best we see as non-performance, at worst sabotage, and we were overcharged for invalid signatures. The good news is that we caught it on time, hired another firm, and signature-gathering is back on track to gather the 21,000 20th District voter signatures required to force a recall election. We will definitely qualify if we get enough financial support. Furthermore the weakness revealed by our attacks caused early jockeying for Roberti's position, forcing him to agree to prematurely give up the Senate Presidency this coming January. That leaves him even more vulnerable to the recall. Unfortunately, there's more bad news: BY THE TIME YOU GET THIS LETTER, WE WILL PROBABLY HAVE ALREADY RUN OUT OF MONEY TO CONTINUE SIGNATURE GATHERING. Worse yet, unlike the "experts" predicted, Roberti is NOT retiring. He's running for State Treasurer. The Treasurer's seat is not just a great place to raise money for anti-gunners. It's a launching pad: Our current State Treasurer, Kathleen Brown, is the frontrunner in the '94 governor's race. Imagine: STATE TREASURER DAVID ROBERTI... GOVERNOR ROBERTI! We have the vehicle to stop Roberti and send a message to politicians nationwide (perhaps even in time to affect certain crucial national votes due after the congressional recess). RECALL will force Roberti to get 50% in a district where he only got 34% last year, but under worse conditions. Fundraising and support will be much tougher. Even if he were to beat the recall -- which is very unlikely -- his Treasury race would be shot due to the money, time, energy, and political capital spent fighting the recall. To get 21,000 valid signatures, we need to turn in as many as 40,000 total. WE CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOUR HELP. BUT WE CAN AND WILL DO IT IF WE GET FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS NOW. VICTORY IS WITHIN OUR GRASP. PLEASE GIVE TILL IT HURTS. IT'LL HURT ROBERTI A LOT MORE. THEN YOU'LL FEEL THAT SPECIAL PLEASURE, THAT WARM FUZZY FEELING THAT COMES FROM ADMINISTERING A GOOD DOSE OF PAYBACK. IT'S NOW OR NEVER. SIGNATURE GATHERERS LIVE HAND-TO-MOUTH. IT TOOK 2 MONTHS TO LURE THEM AWAY FROM OTHER JOBS TO GET WHERE WE ARE NOW. ONCE WE LAY THEM OFF, WE'RE SCREWED. THEY'LL IMMEDIATELY LOOK FOR OTHER WORK AND WE'LL NEVER GET THEM BACK. WE'RE GIVING YOU ROBERTI ON A SILVER PLATTER. IF YOU'RE A 2ND AMENDMENT ACTIVIST, YOU'VE GOT TO ASK YOURSELF A QUESTION: "DO I WANT ROBERTI OR DON'T I?" WELL, DO YOU? With help from good citizens like yourself, CAC has a history of doing the "impossible" by challenging the conventional "wisdom". In 1990, when CAC announced a chain mail campaign to expose corrupt Assembly Speaker Pro Tem Mike Roos, co-author of the Roos-Roberti "Assault Rifle" ban, the "experts" thought we were joking. The experts were wrong. On a shoestring budget, CAC made Roos resign. In '92, when Roberti carpetbagged a 60% Democratic district, the "experts" (including some on our side) thought he'd win without a struggle. Wrong again. We came back on another shoestring budget and made him spend $2.5 million, exhausting his warchest. He barely survived against a Republican with no experience and no money. She didn't even have a publicly listed campaign phone number. The "experts" thought CAC was a fluke, a bunch of hotheads that would fizzle out. Wrong. Nearly 5 years after the semi-auto ban, we're still after Roberti's hide. WE WILL NEVER QUIT. This is a war against internal enemies of the Constitution: corrupt politicians who are doing far more damage to basic civil rights than any of our foreign enemies this century could ever have hoped to do. We will do whatever it takes, within the bounds of the law, to win. Maneuver, change tactics, innovate, find the Achilles Heel. That's why we conceived, planned and organized what should become the first successful state-level California recall since 1914. Most politicians are whores, primarily motivated by getting in office and staying there, selling out to the highest bidder. When push comes to shove, they're no match for dedicated groups of citizens who actually believe in something and are determined to continue fighting for as long as it takes to get it. There's a lot of truth to the old saying "majorities don't win elections - minorities do". The civil rights movement of the 60's proves that even a small but militant voting block can successfully defend it's rights. THAT'S WHY WE WILL WIN THIS WAR. This is a NATIONAL fight. Unfortunately, California sets trends. Our laws are imitated federally and in other states. Wrecking Roberti's career will help stop and even reverse the export of California gun laws. How? First, by reversing them here. Second, by putting politicians everywhere on notice: Violating basic civil rights is a bad career move... No one is invulnerable, not even the leadership... Supporters of the Constitution, especially gun owners, NEVER forget. Our message is getting across, at least here. Notice the absence of new California gun laws this year? Even Roberti's magazine ban - thought unstoppable after the recent San Francisco shootings - was defeated. Roberti intended it as payback. Instead he suffered the indignity of retreat with his tail between his legs. We had a lot to do with it by weakening him and by cementing the impression that gun owners are out for political scalps. We wrote to all Assemblymen asking them to oppose the bill, complimenting them if they did, chiding them if they didn't. "Swing" Assemblymen got packages on the Roos/Roberti campaigns, to let them know how miserable life can be for politicians who violate their oath. Each got their Assembly vote totals from the last election, multiplied by 20% - the number of signatures required to hold a recall. Those who had low-turnout elections were shocked to learn that they could be recalled with a few thousand signatures. We even had help from the L.A. Times! They portray our only motivation as the 2nd Amendment, when they know we oppose all forms of corruption, and support the entire Constitution... even the part that allows them to lie for a living - the 1st Amendment. They tried to discredit us and refused to print our response. But they only reinforced false stereotypes that make politicians think even harder about violating basic civil rights. The Times knows how effective we are, but they try to keep it quiet so politicians won't be afraid to carry their water. That's OK: Complacent targets are softer targets. They simply have to learn the hard way. Our recall budget is small compared to either conventional campaigns or to what Roberti will have to spend to fight us. Nevertheless, we can't do this one on a shoestring. The "experts" don't think we can pull it off. Wrong again. We've earned your trust. Now we urgently need your help. If you've ever even thought of donating to CAC, please do it now. If you've donated before, we appreciate it, and we hope you can do it again. Our efforts are for you, your children, and future generations of Americans. WE'RE SO CLOSE! WE MUST NOT FAIL FOR LACK OF FUNDS WHEN VICTORY IS WITHIN OUR GRASP. PLEASE GIVE GENEROUSLY. "The gun you save may be your own." Sincerely Russ Howard, Advisory Board Member P.S. Enclosed is an open letter to Diane Feinstein that we already sent to most national representatives. However, it's good for them to get it from their own constituents. And the more times they get it, the more likely they are to heed it. Please copy and mail it to your federal, state, and local representatives, politely identifying yourself as a constituent with something of interest for them to read. If you belong to a club or grass roots group, give the members copies and ask them to do it too. Then do it again. And again. And again. Citizens Against Corruption and state affiliate Californians Against Corruption defend civil liberties by ousting politicians who violate their oath to uphold the Constitution. "Californians Against Corruption has proved to be one of the most effective grass roots watchdog groups in the country. On a shoestring budget, CAC precipitated Roos' 1991 resignation and, again using their innovative 'chain letter campaign', bled $2.5 million out of Roberti's coffers in 1992. That's quite a record - which is why Roberti is taking their recall drive seriously. As well he should." NEAL KNOX EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, THE FIREARMS COALITION ADVISORY BOARD: CLEM ALBERTS EDGAR SUTER, M.D. NEAL KNOX, EXEC. DIR. PHYSICIANS FOR INTEGRITY THE FIREARMS COALITION RICK CARONE IN RESEARCH & PUBLIC POLICY JIM FOTIS, EXEC. DIR. RUSS HOWARD WELDON CLARK, JR. LAW ENFORCEMENT 2ND AMENDMENT ACTION ALLIANCE OF AMERICA