Organizations and individuals can endorse AB 83. 

Please submit your AB 83 support letter via the official CA legislative portal.  https://calegislation.lc.ca.gov/Advocates/

Sample Support Letter

January 10, 2023

The Honorable Alex Lee       

Member of the California State Assembly

California State Capitol

Sacramento, CA 95814

Re: Support for AB 83 (Lee): Get Foreign Money Out of California Elections Act

Dear Assemblymember Lee:

On behalf of [Name of Organization] I write in strong support of AB 83 (Lee), the Get Foreign Money Out of California Elections Act. This proposal targets political spending of foreign countries and principals who have ownership stock in United States-based corporations in our elections.

[Optional: A few sentences about your organization]

In President George Washington’s farewell address of 1796, he said, “the insidious wiles of foreign influence… prove [to be] one of the most baneful foes of [a] republican government.” This founding philosophy of our nation laid the groundwork to many restrictions around foreign influence in politics we have today.

Under existing federal law, a foreign government, foreign political party, foreign-incorporated corporation, or individual foreign national who is not lawfully admitted for permanent residence is prohibited from spending money on federal, state, or local elections.

Foreign investment in US companies have increased dramatically in recent years. In 1982, foreign investors owned about 5% of all US corporate equity (public and private). By 2019, foreign ownership jumped to an astonishing 40%. Citizens United has given corporations the ability to spend money in our elections based on the premise that corporations are “associations of citizens.” However, for the many companies with shareholders who are foreign owners by federal law, the Supreme Court’s intended ruling in Citizens United is not being properly applied.

It is imperative that we bar foreign-influenced corporations from contributing to candidates, parties, or committees. By closing a loophole that allows corporations partly or wholly owned by foreign interests to spend money in political campaigns, this reform aims to protect the integrity of California’s democratic self-government.

This bill focuses on political spending by foreign-influenced corporations. It does not have any impact on individual immigrants, nor on the vast majority of small and mid-sized businesses that are not partially owned by foreign investors.

For these reasons, we are in strong support of AB 83. Please contact me at [insert contact information] for any questions about our position.

Sincerely,

[Name]

[Job Title]

[Organization]