Archived News Stories The articles and commentaries below provide a history of the story behind California's enactment of the landmark Online Disclosure Act of 1997, which mandated electronic filing and Internet disclosure of California campaign finance and lobbying reports. Revealing State Secrets Article by Charles Lewis, Center for Public Integrity Columbia Journalism Review May/June, 1998 Political reform the old-fashioned way Column by Peter Schrag Sacramento Bee October 15, 1997 Californians will gain easy, computerized access to political disclosure records San Jose Mercury News Editorial October 15, 1997 Campaign Finance Reform goes public -- Kim Alexander is leading a crusade to electrify the electorate Article by Rob Riddell The Web Magazine October, 1997 Electronic sunshine: Campaign disclosure on the Internet is a real reform Sacramento Bee Editorial October 14, 1997 State campaign finance reports to go on Internet Article by Bob Salladay San Francisco Examiner October 12, 1997 Calif. Campaign filings to go online Article by Jeff Pelline CNET October 12, 1997 California Governor signs bill to put campaign donations online Article by Rebecca Fairly Raney New York Times' Cybertimes October 12, 1997 New law mandates filing of campaign records online Article by Mary Anne Ostrom San Jose Mercury News October 12, 1997 A tool against voter apathy Los Angeles Times Editorial September 24, 1997 Legislature sends Karnette bill requiring campaign reports on the Internet to the Governor News release from Senator Betty Karnette September 11, 1997 Bill to put campaign contribution data on the Internet clears Legislature News release from Secretary of State Bill Jones September 11, 1997 Trying to Drag Donation Data Into Cyberspace Column by George Skelton Los Angeles Times September 11, 1997 Political Reform via Internet San Francisco Examiner Editorial September 10, 1997 Why Kim Alexander is beaming Jack Kavanagh's Rough & Tumble newsletter September 10, 1997 Who gave how much to whom? San Jose Mercury News Editorial September 9, 1997 State Closer to Reporting of Donations on Internet Article by Robert Salladay San Francisco Examiner September 8, 1997 Bill would put funding reports on Internet Column by Daniel M. Weintraub Orange County Register September 7, 1997 Once Again, California Debates Putting Campaign Donors Online Article by Rebecca Fairley Raney New York Times' Cybertimes August 14, 1997 A 'Net Gain for California Los Angeles Times Editorial August 13, 1997 State Budget, Governor's Office opposition threaten electronic filing bill Article by Corey Grice Capitol Alert News August 12, 1997 Task force tackles campaign filings Article by Courtney Macavinta CNET News August 6, 1997 Bill to Put Donations on Internet Could be Budget Victim Article by Steve Lawrence Associated Press August 6, 1997 Voters need a way to follow money online San Jose Mercury News Editorial July 31, 1997 Privacy snags campaign finance postings Article by Courtney Macavinta and Tiare Rath CNET News July 25, 1997 NY Democrats list GOP donors on Web site Editorial by James Dao New York Times July 24, 1997 Political donors online: Vital data needed to make Internet reporting useful Sacramento Bee Editorial July 20, 1997 Bill to limit finance info a 'stretch' Column by Carol Baker Daily Breeze July 20, 1997 Virginia leads nation in electronic disclosure; Non-profit puts campaign information on Internet Virginia Public Access Project news release June 25, 1997 Campaign-Finance Documents Going Electric Article by Ashley Craddock Wired News June 17, 1997 Political Money, On Line New York Times Editorial June 13, 1997 One Step Closer To Online Disclosure San Francisco Chronicle Editorial June 10, 1997 Show voters the money - on-line San Jose Mercury News Editorial June 6, 1997 California Government Edges into Digital Sunshine by Ashley Craddock Wired News June 5, 1997 Campaign finance on-line San Francisco Bay Guardian Editorial June 5, 1997 Campaign reform coming online By Courtney Macavinta CNET News June 4, 1997 Candidate electronic filing needed in Ohio Citizen Action Research Press Release May 30, 1997 Graft Online -- Interview with Kim Alexander Article by Wyn Hilty Orange County Weekly May 29, 1997 Pennsylvania Governor Ridge Unveils Plan to Computerize Campaign Finance Reports PR Newswire May 20, 1997 California lobbying directory online By Courtney Macavinta CNET News May 5, 1997 Private Eyes, Public Records Story by Brian Caulfield Wired Magazine May, 1997 Show me the money . . . Will Sacramento finally put finance records on-line? San Francisco Bay Guardian Article by Daniel Zoll April 30, 1997 Online Filing Best Reform West County Times Editorial April 22, 1997 Campaign Data: Let Public See -- Computerization of finance reports deserves approval this time Los Angeles Times Editorial April 21, 1997 If Hawaii can put candidate finances online, why can't we? Column by Dan Borenstein Contra Costa Times April 20, 1997 California to Digitize Campaign Reform Article by Courtney Macavinta CNet News April 17, 1997 Electronic Sunshine Bill Advances Article by Ashley Craddock Wired News April 16, 1997 Shedding Electronic Light on Campaign Finance Article by Ashley Craddock Wired News April 15, 1997 Leaders try to nudge campaign finance reporting into computer age Article by Mary Anne Ostrom San Jose Mercury News April 12, 1997 A Proposal to Computerize Campaign Giving Article by James Dao New York Times February 4, 1997 Sacramento Balky About Listing Contributors Online Column by Robert B. Gunnison San Francisco Chronicle January 12, 1997 If you can't beat them, track them -- Secretary of State backs electronic filing Opinion by Secretary of State Bill Jones Bakersfield Californian December 12, 1996 Mugging Campaign Reform Sacramento Bee Editorial September 7, 1996 Lawmakers Listen When Money Talks Column by George Skelton Los Angeles Times September 5, 1996 Senate Demos Kill Campaign Reform Bill Article by Christopher H. Schmitt San Jose Mercury News August 31, 1996 Congress should pass electronic filing Commentary, Gary Selnow Marketplace, Public Radio International August, 1996 Let's retire the quill pen Editorial, The Sacramento Bee August 7, 1996 Does not compute Why hasn't the information age caught up with the capitol? Article by Nick Budnick Sacramento News & Review July 25, 1996 Campaign Finance Records Won't Be Online Anytime Soon Article by Burt Herman, Associated Press Writer San Jose Mercury News July 8, 1996 Playing politics with our right to know Editorial, Oakland Tribune July 3, 1996 Don't kill election reform again Editorial, The Sacramento Bee June 26, 1996 Lawmakers get sudden case of online phobia Column by George Skelton, Los Angeles Times June 24, 1996 Partisan battles appear likely to doom revival of online contribution reports Article by Larry Lynch, Political Pulse June 14, 1996 BART campaign finances to be online Article by Charles Burress, San Francisco Chronicle June 14, 1996 Use Internet to ID donors Bakersfield Californian Editorial June 9, 1996 Put campaigns online Letter to the editor of the San Jose Mercury News, by Mary Washburn June 7, 1996 Will state Senate pass the political openness test? San Jose Mercury News Editorial June 5, 1996 Electronic filing legislation defeated News Story by Jason Beaubien KQED-FM June 4, 1996 Dodging Electronic Disclosure Editorial, San Francisco Chronicle June 4, 1996 Plans to go online with campaign-finance data pushed off fast track Column by Dan Weintraub Orange County Register June 2, 1996 It's time for candidates to put their money where mouse is Column by Dan Borenstein, Contra Costa Times May 31, 1996 Electronic filing loses in Assembly News story by Jack Kavanaugh KOVR Television May 31, 1996 What's to Hide, Sacramento? Los Angeles Times Editorial May 31, 1996 Follow the money - electronically San Jose Mercury News Editorial May 31, 1996 What's the GOP hiding? Sacramento Bee Editorial May 28, 1996 Political donors, lobbyists escape Internet exposure Article by Dana Wilkie San Diego Union Tribune May 25, 1996 On-line filing of campaign data debated Article by Dana Wilkie San Diego Union Tribune May 18, 1996 Reform measure poses dilemma Article by Chris Schmitt San Jose Mercury News May 15, 1996 Time for electronic filing Sacramento Bee Editorial April 30, 1996 Voters can get lowdown on candidates via Net Article by Jonathan Gaw Minneapolis Star Tribune April 29, 1996 Senate panel rejects attempt to computerize contribution records Article by the Associated Press April 17, 1996 Political Disclosure on the Net? Speier has a plan Editorial, San Mateo Times April, 1996 Feed the watchdogs Vacaville Reporter Editorial February 27, 1996 David Brancaccio interviews Kim Alexander Marketplace Radio March, 1996 Internet project brings valuable SEC data to new audience Article by Rob Wells Associated Press July 2, 1994 Critics Say Affordable Access Lacking to Key Government Database With BC-Edgar Article by Rob Wells, Associated Press This page first published April 24, 1997. Last updated April 2, 2001 Digital Sunlight is a project of the California Voter Foundation Copyright 1997-2001. All rights reserved.