A report by the state's campaign finance watchdog shows spending by special interests on ballot measures and candidates has skyrocketed.
The Fair Political Practices Commission analyzed so-called Independent Expenditure committees. The groups aren't directly tied to campaigns and have no contribution limits. Commission Chairman Ross Johnson says such spending has increased more than 6,000 percent over six years on legislative candidates.
Johnson: $88 million has been spent on independent expenditures that we're aware of since the passage of Proposition 34 imposed limits on direct contributions. These come from a whole range of wealthy special interests. It can be wealthy individuals, corporations, labor unions Indian tribes.
Johnson says the source of the money is not always clear and he wants better disclosure of who's behind the committees.
The commission says the top donors to such committees include: California Teachers Association, the Correctional Peace Officers Association and three Indian tribes.
