In the mail:
This Wednesday, March 28 at 9 AM, the California State Assembly will hear testimony on Assembly Bill 221, a bi-partisan effort sponsored by Assemblyman Joel Anderson (R-San Diego) and Jose Solorio (D-Anaheim), that would divest California’s public retirement funds from companies that do business with Iran.
This is an absolutely critical moment, where you can make a tremendous difference. Your action TODAY can help this bill pass. I am going to ask you below to do two very simple things .
The National Iranian American Council, a group led by Trita Parsi that consistently parrots the views of reformists in Tehran, has come out publicly AGAINST this bill. They want to rope in Western businesses as a pro-Tehran lobby and are pretending to be THE voice of the Iranian-American community.
You know this is not true. So here is your chance to stand up and be counted.
We need to present Iranian-Americans who SUPPORT this important measure, which I believe will contribute to dramatically escalating the pressure on the Tehran regime by forcing multinational corporations that support the regime with capital and technology to rethink their investments in Iran.
Your support is absolutely critical.
Here’s what you can do today:
1) Assemblyman Anderson needs you to email or fax brief letters of support for the legislation, mentioning your name and your organization. Please send them to his chief of staff, Chip Englander, at the following address:
Email: “Englander, Chip”
Fax: (916) 319-2177Your letter can be very brief. Here is suggested language:
Dear Assembly Anderson:
Iranian-Americans care deeply about America, and about Iran. We strongly support your proposed legislation, Assembly Bill 221, that would stop California state pension funds from investing in companies that do business in Iran. We believe this legislation sends a powerful message to the clerical leadership in Tehran and to large corporations that terror does not pay.
Thank-you again for your good work on this important issue.
Signed,
XXX
DON’T FORGET THE NAME OF YOUR ORGANIZATION.IF ANY OF YOU CAN GO TO SACRAMENTO TO TESTIFY IN PERSON, PLEASE LET ME OR CHIP ENGLANDER KNOW IMMEDIATELY.
2) Call to express your support with these key members of the Assembly. The Public Safety committee has just six members: four votes are need to keep this bill alive.
Speaker of the Assembly Fabian Núñez (D-Los Angeles)
Office – 916/319-2046If the Speaker supports this bill it will pass no question. If he opposes it it will likely die. He loves being significant and loves getting calls.
Jose Solorio (D-Anaheim)
Office – 916/319-2069Solorio is Chairman of Public Safety and is a Democrat who has co-authored the bill. He supports it, but a “thank you,” would be wonderful.
Gene Mullin (D-San Mateo)
Office – 916/319-2019Mullin is on the PERS Committee and will vote on the bill. He could be one of the two votes we need to pass the bill. He has verbally told Assemblyman Anderson that he likes the bill, but has not committed to vote for it.
Alberto Torrico (D-Fremont)
Office – 916/319-2020Torrico is on the PERS Committee and will vote on the bill. He could be one of the two votes we need to pass the bill. He has verbally told Assemblyman Anderson that he likes the bill, but has not committed to vote for it. YOUR CALL CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE.
Edward Hernandez (D-West Covina)
Office – 916/319-2057Hernandez is on the PERS Committee and will vote on the bill. He could be one of the two votes we need to pass the bill. He is a complete toss up on the bill and can go either way. He says he wants to check with leadership.
Fiona Ma (D-San Francisco)
Office – 916/319-2012Fiona Ma is the Majority Whip for the Democrats and is a co-author of our bill. She supports it, but a “thank you,” would be wonderful.
ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND:
I testified in Annapolis, Maryland last week in support of similar legislation for Maryland. As I wrote in a commentary last Friday for Frontpage magazine:
“The pitch is very simple: Do you want your pension fund invested in companies who prop up Iran? There are lots of other places you can invest. Why choose companies helping countries such as Iran whose leaders state publicly they want to destroy America?”
More on what you can do Here.
Missouri has adopted a policy to require two state funds to divest from companies that do business with Iran, Sudan, North Korea and Syria. Georgia is also considering such legislation, and a bill will be introduced in Ohio next week.
Missouri State Treasurer Sarah Steelman said she made the decision after learning the state was using BNP Paribas, France’s biggest bank, to place its overnight money. It had been named as one of several European banks that lent $1 billion to Iran.
“We kicked them off our broker-dealer list and put in place policies that said we won’t do business with companies that do business in Iran,” she said.
In January, Steelman sent a letter to every state treasurer urging them to consider similar policies. “This investment strategy provides an opportunity for many of us far from the front lines of the war on terrorism to do our part,” she wrote.
Now you can help get similar legislation passed in California!
—
Kenneth R. Timmerman
President, Middle East Data Project, Inc.
Author: Countdown to Crisis: The Coming Nuclear Showdown with Iran
Contributing editor: Newsmax.com
Reply to: [email protected]
Website: www.KenTimmerman.com
