{"id":2319496,"date":"2024-08-05T14:43:02","date_gmt":"2024-08-05T18:43:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/california-lawmakers-received-30000-in-free-tickets-raising-concerns-about-policy-influence-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-08-05T14:49:13","modified_gmt":"2024-08-05T18:49:13","slug":"california-lawmakers-received-30000-in-free-tickets-raising-concerns-about-policy-influence-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/california-lawmakers-received-30000-in-free-tickets-raising-concerns-about-policy-influence-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"California lawmakers received $30,000 in free tickets, raising concerns about policy influence &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">30<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fcalifornia-lawmakers-received-30000-in-free-tickets-raising-concerns-about-policy-influence-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2319496&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>California lawmakers have come under scrutiny after it was revealed that over half of them received more than $30,000 in complimentary tickets to various events, including\u200c popular destinations like Disneyland and concerts. While it is legal for lawmakers to accept gifts\u200c valued up to $590, these \u200drevelations, reported by Politico, have\u2063 raised concerns about potential influences on legislative decisions. <\/p>\n<p>One significant case is \u200dDemocratic Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks, who introduced a bill in response to the Ticketmaster debacle surrounding\u2064 Taylor Swift&#8217;s\u200d Eras Tour, which highlighted issues of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/immigration-and-customs-enforcement-ice-wasted-17m-on-empty-hotel-rooms\/\" title=\"Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Wasted M on Empty Hotel Rooms\">exclusive contracts<\/a> between <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/hunter-biden-lawyers-meet-with-doj-prosecutors\/\" title=\"Hunter Biden Lawyers Meet With DOJ Prosecutors\">ticket sellers<\/a>\u2062 and venues. Wicks&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/california-democratic-legislators-push-for-diversity-audits-of-gubernatorial-appointments\/\" title=\"CA Dems push for diversity audits of governor&#039;s appointments.\">bill garnered support<\/a> from third-party resellers like StubHub but faced opposition from small artists\u200d and \u200dvenues, \u200bas well as from entities like the San Francisco 49ers, who also provided tickets \u2064to another lawmaker, Rebecca Bauer-Kahan. As Bauer-Kahan played a\u200b crucial role in amending\u2064 Wicks&#8217;s bill,\u2064 her connections \u200dand the timing of receiving concert tickets\u200b on the same day as Swift&#8217;s performance have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-references-nazi-propaganda-minister-joseph-goebbels-as-he-attacks-hawley-and-cruz-hawley-responds-video\/\" title=\"Biden References Nazi Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels as he Attacks Hawley and Cruz \u2013 Hawley Responds (VIDEO)\">raised questions<\/a> about the potential conflict of interest and the integrity of legislative \u200bprocesses. this situation has \u200bled\u200b to discussions \u2062about the ethical implications of \u2063lawmakers accepting gifts from entertainment corporations while they influence policies affecting those\u200b very industries.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">California lawmakers received $30,000 in free tickets, raising concerns about policy influence<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1663539\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>A little more than half of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/california\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>California<\/a> lawmakers received more than $30,000 in tickets to places and events, including Disneyland, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/san-francisco\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>San Francisco<\/a> 49ers game, and possibly a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/taylor-swift\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Taylor Swift<\/a> Eras Tour concert.<\/p>\n<p>While it is legal for a lawmaker to receive gifts valued up to $590, these findings by <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/news\/2024\/08\/05\/california-lawmakers-free-tickets-00170882\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Politico<\/a><\/em>  raise questions about whether any of these 66 lawmakers may have been influenced by these gifts in their legislative work.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>For instance, Democratic Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks introduced a bill in April that would ban exclusive contracts between sellers and venues. This move was prompted by the Taylor Swift Eras Tour ticket sale debacle that unfolded on Ticketmaster&rsquo;s website, which crashed.<\/p>\n<p>While Ticketmaster&rsquo;s parent company, Live Nation, blamed the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wow-shifty-dominion-uses-a-factcheck-statement-by-cisa-group-that-includes-dominion-to-prove-its-innocence-on-its-own-factcheck-page\/\" title=\"WOW! Shifty Dominion Uses a &quot;FactCheck&quot; Statement by CISA Group that INCLUDES DOMINION to &quot;Prove&quot; Its Innocence on Its Own &quot;FactCheck&quot; Page\">site&#038;rsquo<\/a>;s crash on the unprecedented number of people on its server, customers complained of poor service and accused the ticket company of price fixing. The Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on the matter in 2023.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Wicks&rsquo;s bill received the support of third-party resellers, such as StubHub, and consumers, but it wasn&rsquo;t popular among small artists or small venues and was even opposed by the San Francisco 49ers.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>However, Wicks&rsquo;s bill&nbsp;was subjected to such extensive amendment changes that it lost the support of its original advocate groups.<\/p>\n<p>Democratic Assemblywoman Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, who received concert tickets from the San Francisco 49ers on the same day Swift performed at Levi&rsquo;s Stadium in July 2023, played a pivotal role in completely reshaping Wicks&rsquo;s bill. Bauer-Kahan&rsquo;s former chief of staff, Jordan Curley, had lobbied against Wicks&rsquo;s bill on behalf of the Music Artists Coalition.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Wicks also received tickets from the 49ers for a game in November, months before the bill was introduced.<\/p>\n<p>The San Francisco 49ers gave&nbsp;the second-largest amount of money in tickets to football games, concert stadiums, and training camps to lawmakers last year.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Since Levi&rsquo;s Stadium opened 10 years ago, we have been proud to showcase our home in Santa Clara,&rdquo; a spokesperson for the 49ers said in a statement. &ldquo;We regularly extend invitations to a wide variety of leaders, including elected officials from across the Bay Area, to attend events at the stadium and always within the proper guidelines.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title><strong><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Daniel Schnur, a government ethics expert and former chairman of the Fair Political Practices Commission, said gifts and tickets more often will carry greater influence with politicians than campaign contributions.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;If I send money to a legislator&rsquo;s campaign account, I get a thank you note. If I attend a reception, I get a handshake. If I take them out to lunch or dinner, I get a conversation,&rdquo; Schnur said. &ldquo;But if I get them tickets for a concert or a basketball game, I now have a friend who takes my phone calls.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1663539\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1663539\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>California lawmakers have been given over $30,000 in complimentary tickets to various events and venues, such as Disneyland, a San Francisco 49ers game, and potentially a Taylor Swift concert. Although it is permissible for lawmakers to accept gifts valued up to $590, these revelations from Politico have sparked concerns about the potential influence of these gifts on legislative decisions among the 66 lawmakers involved. For example, Democratic Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks proposed a bill in April aimed at prohibiting exclusive contracts between sellers and venues. This initiative was inspired by the issues surrounding ticket sales for Taylor Swift&#8217;s Eras Tour when Ticketmaster&#8217;s website crashed due to overwhelming traffic. While Live Nation attributed the crash to an unprecedented number of users on their server, many customers reported poor service and accused the company of price-fixing. The Senate Judiciary Committee held hearings on this issue in 2023.<\/p>\n<p>Wicks\u2019s bill garnered support from third-party resellers like StubHub and consumers but faced opposition from smaller artists and venues as well as the San Francisco 49ers. The bill underwent significant amendments that ultimately alienated its original supporters. Democratic Assemblywoman Rebecca Bauer-Kahan played a crucial role in altering Wicks\u2019s legislation after receiving concert tickets from the San Francisco 49ers on the same day that Swift performed at Levi\u2019s Stadium in July 2023; her former chief of staff had lobbied against Wicks&#8217;s proposal for the Music Artists Coalition.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, Wicks received tickets from the 49ers for a game months prior to introducing her bill. Last year, the San Francisco 49ers provided lawmakers with one of the largest amounts of complimentary tickets for football games and concerts. A spokesperson for the team stated that they regularly invite various leaders, including elected officials from around Bay Area, to attend events at their stadium while adhering to proper guidelines.<\/p>\n<p>Daniel Schnur, an expert on government ethics and former chairman of California&#8217;s Fair Political Practices Commission, noted that gifts like tickets often hold more sway with politicians than campaign contributions do: \u201cIf I send money to a legislator\u2019s campaign account, I get a thank you note&#8230; But if I get them tickets for a concert or basketball game&#8230; I now have a friend who takes my phone calls.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2542,"featured_media":2319497,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/AP24138734809632.jpg.optimal.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[4045,37239,3673,37240,32076],"class_list":["post-2319496","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner","tag-california","tag-free-tickets","tag-lawmakers","tag-policy-influence","tag-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/AP24138734809632.jpg.optimal.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2319496","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2542"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2319496"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2319496\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2319497"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2319496"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2319496"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2319496"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}