Schwarzenegger Criticized for Taking Campaign Contributions

Schwarzenegger Criticized for Taking Campaign Contributions (10/14/2003):

"Governor-elect Arnold Schwarzenegger is under fire from campaign finance reform advocates for claiming he needed no financial contributions, then reversing himself and taking in millions.

Schwarzenegger campaigned as an outsider, saying he would come to Sacramento and clean house, sweeping the Capitol clean of special interest influence.

However, just days after entering the race, Schwarzenegger was raking in money like a seasoned politician. 'I do think it's a stretch in credibility to say, 'I'm not going to take any money from special interests' and then a week later start taking literally millions from special interests that have business before the Capitol,' said Derek Cressman, a finance reform advocate for a group called 'The Rest of Us.'

Schwarzenegger's run for the governorship raised $21 million, including $11 million in outside donations. In addition to outside contributions, the film star donated $5 million to his campaign and also took out a personal loan for $4.5 million. That loan may be repaid to Schwarzenegger through future campaign contributions.

Schwarzenegger campaign officials point out that hundreds of contributors made donations. 'The fact of the matter is a lot of people wanted to support the campaign and one way they can do that is to provide campaign contributions, and we received contributions as low as $20,' said Schwarzenegger spokeswoman Karen Hanretty.

The top contributors to Schwarzenegger's campaign were William Robinson, an Idaho-based rancher and investor who donated $221,000; Stockton Developer Alex Spanos, who contributed $200,000; Paul Folino of the technology company Emulex, who donated $171,364; real estate developer William Lyon, who contributed $171,200; and the financial "