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Howie Rich Media Coverage Wins Prestigious Award

Exposing gimmicks by Howie Rich from New York City earned a Western magazine editor the 2006 Polk Award for Political Reporting.

Ray Ring, Northern Rockies Editor for High Country News, won the prestigious national award for his investigative piece "Taking Liberties." Ring's story showed how Rich funneled out-of-state money to hire petition gatherers in an effort to force Western state governments to pay developers for not breaking the laws.

Ring's work exposed Rich's consistent pattern of breaking laws and funneling New York money into Western states. Most of the initiatives were defeated, either at the ballot box or in court.

For more information, read Ring's award-winning story.



Howie's phony 'charity' kicked out of Illinois

A Chicago-based "charity" bankrolled by Howie Rich from New York City has been forced out of Illinois for not following the state's charity laws.

Americans for Limited Government (ALG), a "charity" that funneled more than $8 million in 2006 from Howie Rich from New York City to a variety of front groups, lost its charitable status in Illinois after repeatedly refusing to disclose information on its shadowy web of anonymous donors and front groups.

Rich was forced to move ALG's headquarters to Fairfax, Virginia. Rich used the left over office space in Illinois to create two brand new front group "charities" — the Sam Adams Foundation and the Sam Adams Alliance. No word on whether these "charities" plan to follow Illinois law...



 

Okla. Supreme Ct.: Out-of-state TABOR backers showed "pattern of fraud and wrongdoing"

In a harshly worded opinion handed down on Dec. 12, Oklahoma's Supreme Court ruled that out-of-state TABOR backers broke the law by paying non-residents to collect signatures in support of an Oklahoma ballot initiative.

"The involvement of out-of-state circulators in the signature gathering process establishes a pervasive pattern of wrongdoing and fraud," Chief Justice Joseph Watt wrote. "TABOR is not an Oklahoma initiative funded by Oklahoma citizens interested in changing Oklahoma law."

Howie Rich from New York City and other out-of-state special interests -- from Illinois, Virginia, Colorado and Washington, D.C. -- paid at least $1.2 million to try to influence Oklahoma law with the TABOR initiative campaign. These funds paid for the hiring of a Michigan-based firm, National Voter Outreach (NVO), which sent at least 60 non-residents to collect signatures in Oklahoma.

Ironically, NVO brags on its website that criminal investigations of fraud "would not occur with National Voter Outreach" because their signatures "have a reliability factor unmatched in the industry." In the ruling, Watt reprimanded NVO, saying its "secrecy" and unwillingness to cooperate with the court showed that "the organization and the entire circulation process lacked all integrity."

In August, the Supreme Court kicked the petition off the ballot due to lack of signatures and evidence of illegal tactics. The December ruling voided the entire petition in attempt to deter other out-of-state interests from trying such illegal tactics in the future.

"Out-of-state circulators were paid, imported entities in search of signatories for their own economic benefit — not for the benefit of Oklahoma citizens or their laws," Watt wrote. "Both Oklahoma's initiative petition process and its voters deserve more."

Read the full opinion here.



 

Kennebec [Maine] Journal wants ethics investigation of TABOR backers

A Maine daily newspaper urges the state ethics commission to take complaints against TABOR backers seriously. The Maine Heritage Policy Center, one of Howie Rich from New York City's front organizations, has been named in a citizen complaint to Maine's Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices. A Kennebec Journal - Morning Sentinel editorial praises the effort to expose Howie Rich's spending habits.

The editorial cites Maine law, and asserts that "the public deserves to know who's promoting or opposing a specific measure," and that Rich and his cronies have "avoided disclosing where the money came from...and how they spent it."



 

Same underhanded tactics, different name

Two front men for Howie Rich from New York City are busy forming a new tax shelter to use in their efforts to drain schools and basic public services -- efforts that failed across the country this election cycle earlier this month. Eric O'Keefe and John Tillman, formerly of Howie Rich from New York City's Americans For Limited Government, are founding the "Sam Adams Alliance," and the "Sam Adams Foundation." They're working to convince special interest donors to give them another chance after their stark, 34-of-35 loss record this election year.



 

Maine Republicans: TABOR cost us votes

Maine Republicans are blaming the unsuccessful TABOR ballot measure bankrolled by Howie Rich from New York City for hurting their interests.

Instead of increasing Republican turnout as party operatives expected, TABOR encouraged Democrats to turn out to vote against it.

"TABOR backfired as a strategy of putting it on the ballot," says House Speaker John Richardson, D-Brunswick, in the Portland Press Herald. "Both sides said the Taxpayer Bill of Rights, which lost 54 percent to 46 percent, helped Democrats," according to Press Herald accounts. Julie O'Brien, the Maine Republican Party director, says anti-TABOR advertising hurt many Republican candidates who supported the measure.

Maine Democrats targeted 30 House races as crucial and hoped to win about 80 seats. In an ironic twist for Howie Rich, the TABOR initiative helped Democrats win 89 seats, taking them from a 1-vote margin over Republicans to a 29-vote margin.



 

1 out of 35? Howie can't be liking that "success" rate

Howie Rich from New York City uses $15 million to push 35 radical ballot measures that, had they passed, would have undercut our schools, emergency services and public safety standards in states across the country. Howie's success rate — 1 out of 35 — shows what Mother always told us: There are some things money just can't buy.

Howie Rich from New York City uses $15 million to push 35 radical ballot measures that, had they passed, would have undercut our schools, emergency services and public safety standards in states across the country. They also would have paid developers not to break the law. Howie's success rate — 1 out of 35 — shows what Mother always told us: There are some things money just can't buy. In the process of running these expensive efforts, Howie Rich trampled over numerous state laws and attempted to hide his identity from voters.

Yet after all that, he lost 34 out of 35.

In a desparate effort to spin loss into a win, Rich's front group has since taken to claiming victory for initiatives in which he wasn't involved. A post-election press release identifies ballot successes in nine states — eight of which received negligible support from Rich.



 

On election day, The Wall Street Journal credits www.howierichexposed.comÝeffort

Howie Rich from New York City is the subject of a Wall Street Journal feature on ballot initiatives in the 2006 elections — as is this website. WSJ's Christopher Cooper reports that Rich has been active in the 1990s pushing ballot initiatives along with notorious conservative activist Grover Norquist, but that Rich has become "ubiquitous" of late. Rich spent more than $15 million in 14 states, reports WSJ, though many of Rich's initiatives have been defeated in the courts before they could even appear on the ballot.

Rich apparently didn't want to talk on the record to Cooper for the story. But the WSJ reports that Rich told High Country News recently, "I made a few bucks in business, so I'm able to do this stuff."

The story credited www.howierichexposed.com for researching "public records in a dozen states seeking clues about the groups he controls and the money those groups dispense to state-ballot efforts," and for launching a website to "highlight the groups affiliated with the New York investor."

Rich's cheerleader in chief? Grover Norquist, according to WSJ. Norquist has long worked to craft ballot measures that would drain schools, police and emergency services. The attraction is clear: Rich "knows a lot of people and has the money to assist," says Norquist. With all of that going for him, asks Norquist (another East Coast resident), who cares if Rich is from New York City?



 

Nader report says Rich initiatives could bankrupt states

Public Citizen, the consumer protection organization founded by Ralph Nader, releases a report that says Howie Rich from New York City would "eviscerate state environmental safeguards in four Western states and threaten to bankrupt their state treasuries."

The report continues:

"The campaigns falsely advertise the initiatives as necessary to prevent governments from condemning property owners' land, but they instead are intended to serve as cash cows for developers. If approved, they would leave governments with an unacceptable choice between rolling back decades of environmental protection rules — such as those to combat sprawl, protect wetlands and preserve clean air and clean water — or paying bounties to developers as compensation for restrictions on using their land however they please."


To read the report, go here: http://www.citizen.org/documents/PublicTrust.pdf.



 

South Carolina asks: which mask will Howie hide behind this Halloween?

A South Carolina political web site calls Howie Rich from New York City's antics in South Carolina a "one-man costume party." Ross Shealy, political columnist and blogger, exposes Rich as he evades the law by pouring funds into campaigns against candidates who support South Carolina's public schools.

According to Shealy, "Rich makes the maximum legal contribution of $3,500 to a pro-voucher candidate, under the name of "Bradford Management." Then he makes another contribution, to the same candidate, as "Spinksville LLC." And then he makes another, as "Ashborough Investors." Then another, as "405 49 Associates" — you get the idea. And there are more: Spooner LLC. Bayrich LLC. Dayrich LLC. 538-14 Realty LLC. West 14 & 18 LLC. 123 LaSalle Associates. Just to name a few. Some of these shell companies list Howard Rich's Big Apple apartment as their primary address. Others purport to be located at an alternate address, but have a "principal" address at his New York residence. One point of all this masquerading is to bypass our state campaign contribution limit."

Writes Shealy:

"Besides skirting contribution limits, there's a more fundamental purpose behind this shell game. That purpose is to hide the fact that Rich's initiatives are fueled by an ideology that loathes government, abhors public schools and despises the state laws that stand in its way. It's essentially Halloween in reverse — the benign masks are there to hide the extremist ideology that lies beneath."



 

Will Howie Rich pull Colorado governor's "doublespeak" ads?

Colorado Governor Bill Owens is accused of doublespeak in Maine, where ads show him contradicting his own earlier criticisms of the TABOR initiative, the Associated Press and Denver's Ch. 7 report. Citizen groups in Maine opposing TABOR compare Owens as he appears in a pro-TABOR ad bankrolled by Howie Rich from New York City to his criticism last year of TABOR in Colorado. Owens blamed TABOR for Colorado's fiscal troubles. Dennis Bailey, from Maine's Citizens United, called Owens' puzzling contradictions "political doublespeak." Colorado's TABOR, passed in 1992, was such a disaster it was recently suspended by the voters. Maybe Governor Owens forgot?



 

For Howie Rich, spending illegal money is a full-time job

Howie Rich from New York City's Chicago-based Americans for Limited Government (ALG) is in "hot water," according to the NBC-TV affiliate in Pocatello, (ID). ALG has been pouring money into 10 western states — even after the state of Illinois revoked its license to operate. A new study of campaign finance documents by the Center for Public Integrity, a non-partisan public watchdog group, found that ALG continued to funnel millions into states where it promoted ballot initiatives long after it had no legal standing to operate. Much of the $2.5 million ALG poured into ballot initiatives was spent after February 1, 2006 — the date Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White revoked the nonprofit's license. ALG's license was not reinstated until September 22. During this period, ALG was the largest donor for takings initatives in six western states, according to the Takings Initiatives Accountability Project.



 

It's hard to hide $3 million -- even in California

The California Progress Report calls Howie Rich from New York City on the carpet for trying to hide $3 million for the ballot initiative to give developers special rights.

Under California state law, organizations that make two or more sizable donations to political campaigns must identify their donors, so the public knows who's behind what's on the ballot. According to the Center for Political Integrity (CPI), campaign finance reports filed by a the effort to pay developers not to break the law "reveal an unusual pattern of large, one-time infusions of cash from interrelated out-of-state entities that to date have not publicly disclosed their sources of funds." Five contributions from undisclosed origins accounted for more than 90 percent of all of the group's funds.

The California Progress Report finds that, based on the CPI's research, "political funds connected to Rich have poured — in single, successive donations — more than $3.3 million into the local group." CPI says it made attempts to reach the group, with no response.



 

In a victory for Montana, high court tosses out Rich's $1.1 million initiatives

Keeping company with recent high court rulings in Nevada, Michigan and Oklahoma, the Montana Supreme Court unanimously upholds the lower court ruling and threw out Howie Rich's trio of ballot initiatives — just as Rich had funneled more than $1.1 million into the TABOR, takings and judicial recall measures. The Great Falls [MT] Tribune editorializes to its readership before the ruling this week: "With enemies as wide-ranging as that, we wonder: Who are the initiatives' friends?"

According to The Oregonian last month, organizations controlled by Rich have bankrolled initiatives in multiple states to the tune of more than $7.3 million, primarily to cut government services and give special rights to developers. Last month, Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer challenged Rich to a public debate: "I am writing to invite you to Montana to meet the folks whose lives you wish to change so drastically through your shady campaign. We would like to learn more about who you are, and about your motive to impose such a poisonous constitutional amendment on us."



 

Howie's lawyers go back to digging dirt — this time in Arizona

Howie Rich from New York City is resuming his dirt-digging tactics through an Arizona operative, calling on more than 300 Arizona state agencies to gather individual public employees' emails. The Peoria [AZ] City Attorney Steve Kemp told the The Arizona Republic that the exercise would take as long as eight years to complete.

The dirt-digging comes from Rich-backed proponents of Proposition 207, a takings measure that would require local governments to pay property owners for obeying zoning or other land-use laws. Local opponents of the measure are calling the email request a "Trojan horse whose hidden agenda is to stop the enforcement of environmental, zoning and other land-use laws and potentially bilk Arizona taxpayers out of millions of dollars through questionable legal claims," according to the Republic.

A Virginia-based political group called Citizens in Charge Foundation has made similar requests to 2,000 government entities in six states.

"In 23 years of representing governmental entities, I have never once had a request just asking for every employee's e-mail," Kemp told the Republic. "The public records law doesn't provide for that. It's beyond burdensome."



 

Howie Rich pours $1.1 million on Montana ballot measure

Howie Rich from New York City has funneled a total of more than $1.1 million into the state of Montana to pass TABOR, takings and judicial recall initiatives as of October 23. All three of these initiatives have been deemed fraudulent by a Montana court.

According to The Oregonian newspaper last month, organizations controlled by Rich have bankrolled initiatives in multiple states to the tune of more than $7.3 million, primarily to cut government services and give developers special rights to be paid just to obey the law. Last month, Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer challenged Rich to a public debate. Schweitzer wrote: "I am writing to invite you to Montana to meet the folks whose lives you wish to change so drastically through your shady campaign. We would like to learn more about who you are, and about your motive to impose such a poisonous constitutional amendment on us."



 

Colorado PTA director tells Nebraska: TABOR is the 'worst thing'

Vicki Newell is a suburban Denver mom who was inspired to run for the Colorado State PTA board after first-hand experience with TABOR's disastrous effects on Colorado schools. Newell told Nebraskans through the Omaha World-Herald, "TABOR is the worst thing you can do to your state. It will hurt your schools."

According the the OWH, Newell "lives in one of the nation's wealthiest counties. Yet her son's middle school had buckets in the halls to catch water from a leaky roof that is on a waiting list to be fixed, she said, and parents were selling gift wrap, cards and lotion to pay for teacher's aides."



 

Top Nebraska newspaper gives Rich's effort a one-two punch

In its Sunday edition, the Omaha World-Herald again skewers Howie Rich from New York City's TABOR initiative, this time for its predicted disastrous consequences for education and the economy. Influential columnist Harold Andersen rips Rich's operatives in Nebraska for hiding behind his money. In "Spending lid might come down hard on education," "To fit Nebraska's state spending within such a cap, just what spending would be squeezed out? If Nebraska's experience were anything like Colorado's, the answer to that question is elementary. And secondary. And postsecondary. Under Colorado's cap, the biggest impacts were on education (see OWH graphic). Colorado K-12 funding eroded significantly - the state's per-student spending falling from 23rd nationally to 37th. Relative to the state's higher-than-average incomes, it is 49th."

Also on Sunday, Omaha World-Herald former publisher Harold "Andy" Andersen raises questions about Howie Rich from New York City trying to buy his way onto Nebraska's ballot. "In efforts to use their wealth to help write their political philosophy into the Nebraska Constitution, wealthy New Yorker Howard Rich and his associates have now passed the 1 million-dollar mark in funds sent into Nebraska. In what I consider an embarrassing contrast, Nebraska promoters of the "Stop Over Spending" constitutional amendment had contributed a total of $7,850 as of Oct. 3."

OWH confirms Nebraskans' growing concerns that the almost inevitable budget cuts from TABOR will force property hikes, putting stress on local economy in small towns — all courtesy of a wealthy tycoon who doesn't live in the state.

Read news story | Read Andersen column



 

Religious leaders tell Howie Rich No Thanks

Religious leaders on both coasts are questioning Howie Rich from New York City's TABOR initiatives on moral grounds. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland, Maine, issued an October 12 statement in which Bishop Richard J. Malone said he has "too many doubts and concerns about the short and long—term effects on the people of the State of Maine and therefore must vote no." Bishop Malone called on Maine's 234,000 Catholics to consider whether Howie Rich's initiative would serve the common good. During the same week, The Jewish Federation of Greater Portland [OR] voted to oppose Oregon's TABOR initiative. "It is incumbent upon our community to step forward and draw a line to oppose the wholesale reduction of common resources, which (if Oregon's Measure 48 passed) will be dramatically reduced," according to the Federation's website. Rich's initiative would "change Oregon — and with it, the Jewish community of Oregon — beyond recognition."



 

Oregon PTA finds there's no dressing up a bad idea

Oregon Parent—Teacher Association (PTA) members confronted the obnoxious prop that Howie Rich operatives have used in several states to persuade voters to degrade their state services through Rich's TABOR initiatives. The Oregon PTA struck back, making the point that that there is no dressing up that pig of an idea. See photos



 

Despite denials by local front men, Rich-tied efforts are coordinated

Coincidence? The efforts by Howie Rich from New York City Rich-tied media firm handling the buys for at least two states: Nebraska and Montana. Patrick Media out of Marshfield, MO is handling the ad buys for efforts to degrade state services in Montana and Nebraska, according to records of the advertising buys (PDF). The firm has longstanding ties to front groups funded by Rich (PDF). The records undercut assertions by the local front men for Howie Rich from New York City about their efforts being locally grown.



 

Colorado Governor Owens — Looking for Job with Howie Rich?

Huh? Retiring Colorado Governor Bill Owens led the charge to roll back TABOR in his own state last year. Now he has cut a television ad (PDF) for Howie Rich from New York City in favor of the idea in other states. The problem is that those old positions tend to follow you around. Maybe the Governor is applying for an internship with Howie Rich from New York City.
• See the old Bill Owens (QuickTime video)
• See the New Bill Owens (PDF file)
• Update: view both ads on www.coloradopols.com



 

State papers show Rich behind effort to give special rights to developers, other "planted" initiatives

Official filings (PDF) Official filings by the effort funded by Howie Rich from New York City in Idaho (PDF) and Michigan (PDF) show that the bulk of the money for this effort has come from front groups bankrolled by Howie Rich from New York City. The money for Idaho was laundered using a Montana PO Box. See page three of official document: Page 3 Excerpt (PDF), Full Document (PDF).

The [Oregon TABOR] campaign is almost single-handedly bankrolled by Howard S. Rich, a New York real-estate investor, who leads Americans for Limited Government, a libertarian group that has donated nearly $900,000 to the Oregon operation and provides financial backing to the campaigns in other states as well. (Chronicle of Higher Education, 10/20/06) The Associated Press in Nevada reports (10/12/06) "Howie Rich's Americans for Limited Government advocacy group has kicked in more than 80 percent of the reported $217,078 in contributions" to the Nevada effort to pay developers not to break the law. One local critic told AP: "We don't want [Rich] dictating public policy in Nevada." Meanhwile, Rich has funneled $250,000 through his front group to the takings effort in Washington State, according to KXRO radio (10/16/06). However, the backlash against Rich's attempts to manipulate the affairs of people in other states continues to draw public fire: "Reporters find that the TABOR and regulatory-takings measures appear suddenly, without a previous state political base. Small wonder. New York real estate magnate Howard Rich's Americans for Limited Government seems to be planting them and providing — as The Oregonian in Portland has documented — millions of dollars of support." (Columnist Neal Peirce, Seattle Times, 10/16/06)



 

Howie's Home-town Paper Exposes TABOR Efforts

The New York Times exposed Howie Rich from New York City, a millionaire developer, as the force behind the drive for special rights for developers in several states. Conservative Idaho business interests tell the Times that Rich's effort on "takings" is a bait-and-switch deal for voters in the state. The conservative Arizona Republic editorial page added its voice as well. It ripped Rich's use of front groups to interfere with states' ability to sensibly cope with growth through his takings initiative, which would essentially pay developers not to break the law. "Virtually every single dollar in the campaign comes from two libertarian groups, Americans for Limited Government and the Fund for Democracy, bankrolled by New York City real estate investor Howie Rich. Rich and his organizations aren't aiming to improve Arizona's future. We're just one of eight states in which they financed ballot measures to spread their rigid ideology." Read NYT story | Read Arizona Republic editorial



 

Rich-funded dirt-digging beginning to raise public ire.

The dirt-digging effort funded by Howie Rich in New York City is beginning to raise public ire in several states. A researcher for Citizens in Charge, a Rich-connected front group, is abusing public records laws in several states by demanding access to the individual emails of sheriff's deputies, firefighters and teachers. The Nebraska front man for Rich's TABOR initiative there, Initiative 423, has admitted to the Omaha World-Herald a connection with Citizens in Charge. Associated Press reports that Oregon counties and school districts are estimating massive costs and outlays of staff time. Read Omaha Word Herald story | Read Associated Press story (PDF)



 

Idaho Falls Post Register rips effort by Rich operatives to dig for dirt on sheriff's deputies, firefighters and school teachers.

Operatives based out of front groups connected to Howie Rich from New York City have begun abusing open records laws in several states through a massive effort to dig up dirt on sheriff's deputies, firefighters and school teachers. Rich operatives are demanding the individual emails of thousands of these hard working employees, just to find dirt to use in their efforts to win support for special payments to developers and efforts to wreck state services. The effort, ironically being mounted by people who claim to be fiscal conservatives, threatens to waste tens of thousands of dollars in each state by forcing cash-strapped towns, counties and school districts to round up the records. The Idaho Falls Post Register (PDF) rips the dirt-digging effort and calls on the Idaho front man for Howie Rich from New York City to answer some questions.



 

Mogul's network bankrolls Prop. 90 Web of advocacy groups funnels millions to pass property rights initiative

The San Francisco Chronicle explores the web of front groups through which Howie Rich from New York City launders millions of dollars for ballot initiatives in other states. Rich has been erratic in granting interviews to investigative reporters. After hiding in his office in New York from PBS's NOW program, he told the Chronicle that the reason his front groups hide their money sources is out of a "First Amendment concern." The front groups and their operatives are trying bamboozle citizens in several states into degrading state services and paying developers not to break local laws.



 

Omaha World-Herald Publisher confronts Howie Rich from New York City

Harold "Andy" Andersen becomes the latest Western VIP to confront Howie Rich from New York City about Rich and his associates, in Andersen's words, "buying their way onto the November ballot."

Widely respected conservative publisher of the Omaha World-Herald confronted Howie Rich from New York City today in a searing column, "Be wary of out-of-state players in spending-lid ballot question." Andersen criticized Rich and his cronies for "buying their way onto the November ballot."

Anderson wrote:

"Anybody out there ever vote for Howard Rich? I thought so. Yet if he is successful in his efforts, this very wealthy, ultra-conservative New Yorker could go down in Nebraska political history among the figures who have wielded the most influence in terms of the variety and quality of services provided by state and local governments and the way those services are paid for."
Anderson objected to Rich's "total perversion" of Nebraska's right to petition, and to the nature of the "a constitutional straitjacket" Rich was trying to get Cornhuskers to impose on their state services through Initiative 423.

The recent voter rejection of a similar experiment in Colorado has led to the fast-growing opposition to Rich's Initiative 423 in Nebraska. The groups oppose represent a wide coalition, including the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce, the Nebraska State Education Association, the Nebraska Farm Bureau, and AARP. Rich's operatives tried unsuccessfully last week to bully Nebraska stations with the threat lawsuits if they ran ads exposing Rich's involvement with Initiative 423.

Related Links:
Omaha World-Herald column (registration required)
Ad #1: Video
Ad #2: MP3 Audio File



 

National TV show exposes Rich as muscle behind efforts

September 22 — Good, old fashioned investigative journalism is not dead, PBS's investigative show NOW showed tonight. The program exposed Howie Rich from New York City as the financial muscle behind the drive to mislead voters in many states into degrading state government services.

Tonight's NOW program tried to track down the illusive Howie Rich from New York City. While Rich evaded NOW's crew, the influence of the illusive tycoon, 66, was thoroughly exposed in Montana and other states. The show caught local Rich's Montana front man, Trevis Butcher, refusing to say who funded his over $600,000 worth of fraudulent signature gathering efforts. However, a local government watchdog in Helena, Montana, showed NOW emails from Butcher asking that money be sent to him using international financial routing numbers. Montana State Senator Joe Balyeat admitted this week that Rich was the principal financial backer behind Montana's TABOR, takings and anti-judges measures.

Trevis might have explaining to do to Montanans.

LINK: PBS NOW: Show Summary and Video



 

Nebraska Governor opposes TABOR, joining governors from Oregon and Montana

September 21 — The North Platte [NE] Telegraph notes that Republican Governor Dave Heineman of Nebraska is opposed to Howie Rich's efforts in his state, joining the group of state leaders opposing TABOR.

The opposition to Howie Rich's TABOR efforts in Nebraska has drawn the praise of the influential Lincoln Journal Star editorial page. Nebraska has faced the same unethical, aggressive signature gatherers sent in by front groups funded or run by Howie Rich from New York City. Some of the signature gatherers have criminal backgrounds, and one was a convicted murderer who assaulted a Nebraska student. Maybe that's why groups from the Nebraska Farm Bureau and Chamber of Commerce to AARP are opposing Rich's TABOR effort, Initiative 423.



 

MT State Senator Admits Howie Rich is "Main One" Bankrolling Front Group in State

September 21 — Montana State Senator Joe Balyeat admitted on Yellowstone Public Radio that tycoon Howie Rich from New York City is the primary financial muscle behind the front group, Montanans in Action.

The front group has been working to push a destructive TABOR measure much like that of the failed (and now rejected) experiment by Colorado, and a takings initiative, CI-154, which would force Montana to give special rights to big developers. This came one day before PBS's NOW program showed Howie Rich's front man in Montana, Trevis Butcher, saying in court that he didn't have to say who was funding his efforts. For a timeline on Butcher's denials, go here.