Posted on 10/07/2006 5:59:03 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
Hoping to attract support among black voters in his re-election race, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is aggressively courting black clergy by luring them to the same after-school aid program that was a springboard for his political career.
About $500 million in state grant money for schools, nonprofit groups and faith-based institutions is available this year for the first time under Proposition 49, the initiative Schwarzenegger promoted in 2002.
That effort lay the groundwork for his entry into the recall campaign the following year.
In recent months, the governor's staff has been offering black churches help in applying for the competitive grants as part of an effort to peel off black support from state Treasurer Phil Angelides, Schwarzenegger's Democratic challenger.
In August, Margaret Fortune, a black aide to the governor who was responsible for alerting black churches they might qualify for Prop. 49 money, took a leave of absence to join the campaign.
Last month, she appeared with Schwarzenegger at Allen Temple Baptist Church in Oakland, telling the congregation she was helping a group of black churches apply for state grant money.
"It sounds like it's walking right up to the line of buying endorsements with public money," said Ned Wigglesworth, policy advocate for California Common Cause, a nonpartisan government watchdog group.
The Prop. 49 grants will be dispensed by the California Department of Education, run by the superintendent of public instruction, Democrat Jack O'Connell. None of the funds have yet been given out.
It is unusual for a Republican governor to spend time wooing African Americans, who traditionally are solid Democratic voters.
Not everyone approves.
"Faith-based entities are certainly not for sale," said the Rev. Harold R. Mayberry, senior pastor at First African Methodist Episcopal Church in Oakland.
Katie Levinson, a spokeswoman for the Schwarzenegger campaign, declined to comment on Mayberry's remarks, but said the governor aims to be competitive "in every community."
Polls show the outreach is paying off. Although 9 percent of African Americans are registered Republicans, Schwarzenegger is supported by 20 percent of likely black voters, said Mark DiCamillo, director of the Field Poll.
Given passage of SB 1441, those churches better also be promoting the homosexual agenda or they won't be eligible for funding. --sigh....
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