Howard Rich

Howard Rich is a libertarian political extremist and real estate developer in New York City, USA.

Rich's political activity is focused on voter intimidation [http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0908/Group_targets_liberal_donors.html?showall] and financing ballot initiatives in numerous states. Issues include restrictions on regulatory taking and eminent domain, term limits for judges and legislators, and state spending limits modeled after Colorado's Taxpayer Bill of Rights.

Rich holds (or has held) leadership positions with the following organizations: Americans for Limited Government, the Cato Institute, SocialSecurityChoice.org, and U.S. Term Limits. [ [http://www.stealthpacs.org/agent.cfm?agent_id=445#2 StealthPacs.org | Selected Affiliations of Howard Rich ] ]

History

Rich has financed numerous initiatives since 1992.

2006 has been called a "breakout year" for Rich's financial involvement in states' initiative processes; Rich spent over $15 million to back measures in 14 states in 2006. [cite news
author=Hogan, Dave and Betsy Hammond
title=N.Y. cash colors Oregon ballot
url=http://www.oregonlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news/115474653084000.xml?oregonian?lcpltop&coll=7
work=The Oregonian
date=August 5, 2006
accessdate=2006-12-26] [ [http://www.howierichexposed.com/updates.php#1203-maine HowieRichExposed.com] , citing Wall Street Journal article, below.] Of the 35 measures he backed,only one passed. [ [http://www.howierichexposed.com/updates.php#1116-success Howie Rich from New York City ] ]

Controversy

Rich is not known to seek out public attention, [cite news
author=Cooper, Christopher
title=How Mr. Rich Spreads The Republican Word
url=http://users1.wsj.com/lmda/do/checkLogin?mg=wsj-users1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fonline.wsj.com%2Farticle%2FSB116286042216815062.html%3Fmod%3Delection_primary_hs
work=The Wall Street Journal
accessdate=2006-12-21] but he has received it nonetheless.

Initiative petitions backed by Rich have run afoul of state law in Montana, Nevada, and Oregon. In five cases, state courts or elections officials have disqualified or modified initiatives or declared thousands of signatures invalid due to fraudulent signature-gathering techniques or constitutional problems. [cite news
author=Dennison, Mike
title=Election 2006 / Initiative ruling stands
url=http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2006/10/27/news/mtregional/news08.txt
work=Missoulian
date=October 27, 2006
accessdate=2006-12-26]

State officials and other interested parties in various states have taken notice of the influence of out-of-state money into the ballot initiative process, and are working to protect systems originally designed for a more populist purpose. [cite news
author=Florio, Gwen
title=State officials push overhaul of initiative process
url=http://www.greatfallstribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061219/NEWS01/612190303/1002
work=Great Falls Tribune
date=December 19, 2006
accessdate=2006-12-26] [cite news
author=Hogan, Dave and Betsy Hammond
title=N.Y. cash colors Oregon ballot
url=http://www.oregonlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news/115474653084000.xml?oregonian?lcpltop&coll=7
work=The Oregonian
date=August 5, 2006
accessdate=2006-12-26]

In 2006, Governors Ted Kulongoski (of Oregon) and Brian Schweitzer (of Montana) challenged Rich to debate legislation he had backed in each of their states, but Rich did not accept. [cite news
author=Dennison, Mike
title=Governor wants CI-97 debate
url=http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2006/09/09/news/state/45-gov.txt
work=Billings Gazette
date=September 9, 2006
accessdate=2006-12-21] [cite news
author=Editorial
title=Spotlighting Rich
url=http://www.registerguard.com/news/2006/08/31/ed.edit.m48debate.0831.p1.php?section=opinion
work=Eugene Register-Guard
date=August 31, 2006
accessdate=2006-12-29]

References

External links

* cite web
url=http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/238/
title=Taking the Initiative
work=NOW with Bill Moyers
publisher=PBS
date=September 22, 2006
* [http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/115612893156170.xml&coll=7&thispage=1 Oregonian story, August 2006] covers Americans for Limited Government
*cite news
author=Editorial
title=That's no on 9 of 10
date=October 20, 2006
url=http://www.registerguard.com/news/2006/10/20/ed.edit.measures.1020.p1.php?section=opinion
publisher=Eugene Register-Guard
* [http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/116019692198730.xml&coll=7 Oregonian story, October 2006] covers Citizens in Charge, and their TaBOR-related public records requests in 7 states