opinion

No on Government Waste Committee Calls on AIDS Healthcare Foundation to Halt Illegal Measure B TV Ad

TV Ads Feature Compensated Actors With Disclaimers That Violate State Campaign Laws

Los Angeles – Blasting a new television ad featuring paid performers, the No on Government Waste Committee called on the AIDS Healthcare Foundation to remove an ad that it calls misleading, erroneous and that violates state election law in the fight over Measure B, the so-called “Safer Sex” initiative on the Nov. 6th ballot in Los Angeles County.

“This ad featuring Derrick Burts and Darren James does not disclose that both men were well-compensated by AHF for their appearances, nor does the disclaimer meet state requirements for information, location and size in order to allow voters to be properly informed,” said James Lee, communications director for the No on Government Waste Committee. “If AHF does not remove this ad, nor make the necessary corrections, our only alternative is to file a complaint with the Fair Political Practices Commission and force them to abide by the law.”

The TV ad can be viewed here.

Lee disclosed that Derrick Burts had previously been in discussions with the No on Government Waste Committee seeking compensation of $10,000 in order to not appear in any AHF ads and campaign materials.

“Mr. Burts had previously been in discussions with us in order to be paid $10,000 by the opponents to Measure B. Even though he agreed to the amount and be paid, the Committee eventually decided not to complete the agreement, nor make any payments,” Lee said. “Burts had disclosed to us that AHF had previously paid approximately $7,500 for his support and he indicated he wanted more money. We can only assume that Mr. Weinstein met his demands for increased compensation after shopping himself around to the highest bidder.”

Lee further disclosed the Committee had also been informed that Darren James had been compensated by AHF and that AHF had approached other performers in a blatant attempt to throw money at people in tough economic conditions in order to take advantage of them.

“It’s worth asking if AHF can find a single performer who has not been paid by them to come forward and be a passionate advocate for a measure that taxpayers and the business community, especially outside of the adult entertainment industry, are beginning to seriously question,” Lee said. “This is an industry that requires the latest PCR/RNA Aptima testing for every performer, as well as screening for syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhea. It subsidizes those tests for performers and aggressively pursues notifications, retesting and treatment whenever there is a positive test.”

Of more significant note, Lee also cited a need for the FPPC, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, the California Office of AIDS and the California Department of Public Health to open up inquiries into AHF’s use of funds for political purposes.

“The taxpayers of California and the voters, not to mention the thousands of AIDS and HIV patients being served by AHF have a right to know what funds AHF is tapping to pay for initiative qualifications, paying for endorsements and spending for pricey ad campaigns at a time when the state and county health systems are extremely underfunded,” Lee said. “State election law and the rules of the grant awards AHF has received from the government make clear that taxpayer dollars are not to be used for political purposes. And if AHF is making the claim that these ads are part of its AIDS education mandate, then all references to Measure B are to be erased and media advisories and press releases and press events should make no mention of it.”

Measure B, funded and placed on the ballot by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, would require the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health to license and permit adult movie productions in the county and require performers to wear condoms and create an unworkable system of on-set inspections and enforcement by county personnel. The county estimates initial start-up costs for the program to be in excess of $300,000, but acknowledges it does not know if permitting fees would be adequate to fund the program’s long-term costs.

According to the California Dept. of Public Health, from June 30, 2008 to June 30, 2011, there were 6,447 new cases of HIV reported in Los Angeles County, but only two were adult performers who did not contract the disease on-set. Since 2004, there have been no documented cases of HIV transmission on an adult entertainment set.  In fact, with the industry’s strict testing protocols – requiring testing at least every 28 days for HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis – adult performers are the most tested workforce in the nation.

No on Government Waste Committee

The Committee is comprised of entertainment companies, local business organizations, community activists, adult entertainment performers and healthcare advocates who oppose Measure B’s plan for creating an underfunded government inspection program diverting badly needed resources from local community clinics and underserved minority communities.

Copyright © 2024 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More Articles

profile

WIA Profile: Siren Obscura

Siren Obscura grew up in Arizona, surrounded by rugged beauty and desert landscapes that she describes as having a quiet power to them. That environment strongly shaped her appreciation for contrasts and natural light, which plays a significant role in her work today.

Women In Adult ·
opinion

How to Thwart Holiday Fraudsters With Finesse

The holiday season is a prime time for shopping. Unfortunately, it’s also peak season for credit card fraud. With increased transactions both online and in-store, fraudsters have more opportunities to exploit vulnerabilities — and they are getting better at it every day.

Jonathan Corona ·
profile

WIA Profile: Rae Threat

Threat is completely self-taught. Shooting nightlife was how she learned photography and honed her skills, experimenting with ways to shoot low-light action shots without a flash. She notes that these nightly adventures also helped her acquire social and networking skills. One thing led to another, and she soon found herself working in the adult biz.

Women In Adult ·
opinion

Girlsway Celebrates a Decade of Acclaimed Sapphic Erotica

When Girlsway launched back in 2014, Bree Mills had a plan. As head of production for Gamma Entertainment, she set out to up the stakes of all-girl content with the new imprint — and to continually, proactively reinvent the brand and its offerings along the way.

Alejandro Freixes ·
opinion

TeamSkeet Debuts Swappz Channel, 'Swapception' Feature

Chief Revenue Officer Brandon explains, “The inspiration behind ‘Swappz’ emerged from a growing market demand for niche adult content that pushes boundaries and explores the taboo themes and deal-striking handshakes of swaps.”

Alejandro Freixes ·
opinion

Goodbye to Noncompete Agreements in the US?

A noncompetition agreement, also known as a noncompete clause or covenant not to compete, is a contract between an employer and an employee, or between two companies.

Corey D. Silverstein ·
opinion

Brittney Kade Talks Big 'Career-First' for Adult Time

Brittney Kade’s first gangbang originated as an Adult Time “Director Showcase,” a creative opportunity the production team offered to Jim Powers, one of the studio’s regular producers.

Alejandro Freixes ·
opinion

Compliance With State Age Verification Laws

During the past year, website operators have faced a slew of new state age verification laws entailing a variety of inconsistent compliance obligations.

Lawrence Walters ·
opinion

On the Set: Welcome to Adult Time's 'Futa World'

Dressed revealingly in a yellow waitress uniform, Lauren Phillips greets eager customers Hailey Rose and Chloe Surreal. On a sign announcing the grand opening of “Dick’s Diner,” the apostrophe between letters k and s bears a striking resemblance to an ejaculating penis.

Alejandro Freixes ·
profile

Hayley Davies: From New Zealand Math Nerd to Fast-Rising Adult Star

Growing up, New Zealander Hayley Davies was a proud nerd who participated in mathematics competitions against students from much higher grades. Her good looks turned out to be a kind of secret weapon, causing peers to underestimate her intellectual acumen.

Alejandro Freixes ·
Show More