 December 10, 2014 -- American Beverage Association California PAC spent millions of dollars to defeat sugar tax initiatives in both San Francisco and Berkeley, California this election. MapLight, a nonpartisan research organization that tracks money in politics, conducted an analysis of California Secretary of State data that shows how much money soda companies contributed to American Beverage Association California PAC over the past *election cycle:
 Daniel G. Newman, the President and Co-founder of MapLight, said, "when one side has 10 times more resources than the other, it makes a mockery of what our democracy is supposed to be like. The side that has 10 times more money can send more mailers, hire high powered political and marketing consultants, advertising agencies, and people to walk door to door to deliver their message to voters. It creates distorted conditions for voters to effectively make decisions about laws they want and ultimately have to live by."
Methodology:
MapLight analysis of campaign contributions to the American Beverage Association California PAC, a 501(c)6, from The Coca-Cola Company, Pepsico Incorporated and Affiliated Entities, Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, Inc. / Mott's LLP, Red Bull North America, Sunny Delight Beverages Company from *January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2014. Data source: California Secretary of State.
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