This isn’t rocket science.

This isn’t rocket science. Elizabeth Warren, Ed Markey and Steve Lynch proved that the People’s Pledge works.

Yesterday I stood in front of City Hall to renew my call for all candidates running to replace Tom Menino to sign on to an agreement to prevent outside special interest groups from meddling in the race. Boston needs a mayor who is beholden to the people, not outside groups who care more about their own agenda than the City of Boston.

I’m calling it the Boston Pledge and it’s modeled after the groundbreaking agreement reached between Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Scott Brown last year. Senator-elect Ed Markey and Rep. Steve Lynch also agreed to ban on third-party advertisements in their primary earlier this year.

After studying the effect of the People’s Pledge on the Brown/Warren race, Pam Wilmot of Common Cause said “there is every reason for such a pledge to regulate Massachusetts elections from now on—and if popular support is strong enough, it will."

I agree with Pam. Outside special interests pushing their own agendas shouldn’t get to decide who replaces Tom Menino, Boston voters should decide.

This is the first wide-open race for Mayor of Boston in this post-Citizens United world we live in and I’m worried that agenda-driven outside special interest groups will dump enough cash into this race to dominate it unless we all agree that Boston is not for sale.

Under the Boston Pledge, candidates who benefit from advertising by outside groups would agree to make a donation from their campaign to the One Fund for 50 percent of the amount spent by the outside group.  If outside groups try to interfere with this election, proceeds from the Boston Pledge will go to the One Fund to provide continuing assistance to victims of the Boston marathon bombing.

Here’s the full text of the Boston Pledge that I am asking all of my fellow candidates to sign:

The Boston Pledge

Because outside third party organizations - including but not limited to individuals, corporations, 527 organizations, 501(c) organizations, SuperPACs, and national and state party committees - may air, and may continue to air, and/or deliver direct mail and/or print hand delivered independent expenditure advertisements and/or telephone solicitations and issue advertisements and/or telephone solicitations either supporting or attacking any or all of the certified candidates for Mayor of Boston signed below (individually the “Candidate" and collectively the "Candidates"); and

Because these groups function as Independent expenditure organizations that are outside the direct control of any of the Candidates; and

Because the Candidates agree that they do not approve of such independent expenditure advertisements and/or direct mail and/or printing of hand delivered advertisements and/or telephone solicitations and want those advertisements and/or direct mail and/or printing of hand delivered advertisements and/or telephone solicitations to immediately cease and desist for the duration of the 2013 Boston Mayoral election cycle; and

Because the Candidates recognize that in order to continue to make Boston a national example, and provide the citizens of Boston with an election free of third party Independent expenditure advertisements and/or direct mail, and/or printing of hand delivered advertisements, and/or telephone solicitations they must be willing to Include an enforcement mechanism that runs not to the third party organizations but instead to the Candidates' own campaigns:

The Candidates on behalf of their respective campaigns hereby agree to the following:

• In the event that a third party organization airs any independent expenditure broadcast (Including radio), cable, satellite, online advertising, and/or deliver direct mail and/or printing of hand delivered advertisements, and/or telephone solicitations in support of a named, referenced (including by title) or otherwise identified Candidate or Candidates, that candidate's campaign .shall, within three (3) days of discovery of the advertisement buy's cost, duration, and source, pay 50% of the cost of that advertising buy  to One Fund.
• In the event that a third party organization airs any Independent expenditure broadcast (including radio), cable, or satellite advertising, online advertising, and/or deliver direct mail and/or printing off hand delivered advertisements, and/or telephone solicitations in opposition to a named, referenced (including by title) or otherwise identified Candidate or Candidates, the opposing Candidate's campaign shall, within three (3) days of discovery of the advertisement buy's cost, duration, and source, pay 50% of the cost of that advertising buy to One Fund.
• In the event that a third party organization airs any broadcast (including  radio), cable, or satellite online advertising, and/or deliver direct mail and/or printing of hand delivered advertisements, and/or telephone solicitations that promotes or supports a named, referenced (including by title} or otherwise Identified Candidate or Candidates, that Candidate's campaign shall, within three (3) days of discovery of the advertisement buy's cost, duration, and source, pay 50% of the cost of that advertising buy to One Fund.
• In the event that a third party organization airs any broadcast (Including radio), cable, or satellite online advertising, and/or deliver direct mail and/or printing of hand delivered advertisements, and/or telephone solicitations that attacks or opposes a named, referenced (including by title) or otherwise identified Candidate or Candidates, the opposing Candidate's campaign shall, within three (3) days of discovery of the advertisement buy's cost, duration, and source, pay 50% of the cost of that advertising buy to One Fund.
• The Candidates and their campaigns agree that neither they nor anyone acting on their behalf shall coordinate with any third party on any paid advertising and/or direct mail and/or printing of hand delivered advertisements, and/or telephone solicitations for the duration of the 2013 Boston Mayoral election cycle. In the event that any Candidate or Candidates or their campaign or anyone acting on their behalf coordinates any paid advertisement and/or direct mail and/or printing of hand delivered advertisements, and/or telephone solicitations with a third party organization that Candidate's campaign shall pay 50% of the cost of the advertisement buy and/or direct mail cost to One Fund.

Penalties For Breach

In the event that the undersigned Candidate fails to make the charitable donation within the three day time requirement, then the charitable donation shall double the required amount for an additional five days after which if the charitable contribution is not made, then the charitable donation shall increase an additional amount representing an increase of 50% to the immediately preceding required charitable amount.

The Candidates and their campaigns agree to continue to work together to limit the influence of third party advertisements and to close any loopholes (including coverage of sham ads) that arise in  this agreement during  the course of  the campaign.

CANDIDATE SIGNATURE _______________

- Rob