Posted on 06/19/2002 2:04:45 PM PDT by Alan Chapman
As President Bush raised a record amount for GOP congressional candidates, federal regulators Wednesday approved some election activities that can still be paid by large corporate and union donations starting next year.
With one Democratic member joining three Republicans, the Federal Election Commission defined some of the state and local election activities that will be exempted from the new law banning "soft money" donations at the federal level.
By identical 4-2 votes, the commission:
-Gave state and local parties potentially more time to assist with soft money those candidates who face primary challenges.
The commission did so by concluding that election activities regulated by federal law begin only after a candidate makes it onto a primary or special election ballot.
In even-number election years, candidates facing no primary challenge would be covered by the law's restrictions beginning Jan. 1. But others could wait as late as August when their primary ballot is settled.
-Defined several types of election activities that will be considered get-out-the-vote efforts for which state and local parties can spend some soft money.
A key advocate of tough campaign finance restrictions decried the early decisions.
"So far they have taken a series of steps to narrow the coverage of the statute. That's troubling and it's not clear how far it is going to go," Common Cause lawyer Don Simon said.
A Republican commissioner insisted the FEC would not try to gut the new law.
"The hysteria this has generated is just amusing," Bradley Smith said. "I think it's probably a good thing the American people don't pay much attention to it."
The Democratic Party's chief lawyer said he was pleased by the votes so far. "There's a long way to go on this, but so far the discussion, the amendments have been constructive," Joseph Sandler said.
The decisions that will govern a new era of fund raising beginning next year came as Bush helped raise a record of at least $28 million at a gala Wednesday night for GOP congressional candidates. Much of it is in the form of soft money that will be banned starting in 2003.
The source of some of that money - drug companies which are lobbying the administration and Congress on how prescription drug coverage should be provided to seniors - came under attack.
"The Republicans are doing all that they can to ensure that the drug companies get what they pay for," Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., said.
The Wednesday night event for the National Republican Congressional Committee and its Senate fund-raising counterpart will lift this year's fund-raising total for Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney to at least $97.9 million. Bush is certain to take it over $100 million at a Florida GOP dinner Friday with his brother, Gov. Jeb Bush, if the House-Senate event doesn't do it.
The congressional dinner may mark the last record-breaking night for soft money - the unlimited contributions from corporations, unions and others targeted by sponsors of a far-reaching new campaign finance law. National party committees and federal candidates will be barred from raising soft money after this fall's election.
The biggest contributors get more than a ticket to the dinner.
NRSC donors who contributed $5,000 or more to join its "Republican Presidential Roundtable" were promised a day of briefings Wednesday by Republican senators covering Middle East issues, the economy, the federal budget and Social Security and Medicare, capped off by a review of the upcoming changes in campaign finance rules.
Commerce Secretary Don Evans was to address them at a Wednesday luncheon, but was taking part in a trade mission instead. NRSC Roundtable members also got a chance to mix with GOP senators at a cocktail reception Tuesday night followed by a dinner headlined by Cheney's wife, Lynne Cheney.
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