Campaign Finance Reform

This is an excerpt of a New York Times editorial that was published yesterday:THE fight over campaign finance reform has now begun in earnest. By the close of business Friday, 189 Democrats in the House had signed a petition to force a floor vote on legislation that would outlaw the unlimited, unregulated donations to political parties that are known as soft money.The petition strategy has been forced by the resolute refusal of the House speaker, Dennis Hastert, to move quickly on the bill and thus leave enough time to rally support in the Senate before the campaign season begins next year -- and hundreds of millions of dollars from special interests start polluting the system all over again.

WASHINGTON -- If Vice President Al Gore's campaign had been under the impression that Democratic rival Bill Bradley's vow to run a positive campaign meant he would be a sitting duck, the Gore forces should be disabused of that notion by the former senator's remarks on campaign finance reform in New Hampshire this week.Mr. Bradley, suggesting that Mr. Gore's proposals for reform were hypocritical, pointedly alluded to "questions about where politics ended and government began in the Clinton-Gore fund-raising efforts" of 1996.

U.S. Sens. John McCain and Russell D. Feingold brought their campaign finance reform road show to Maryland yesterday with a stop at the State House and a town hall meeting before an enthusiastic crowd of supporters at St. John's College. It was the sixth meeting the two senators have held as they've traveled across the country to build public backing of their bill to ban "soft money" - the term given to the unlimited, unregulated contributions that unions, corporations and wealthy individuals make to political parties.

WASHINGTON -- Even as Senate investigators reviewed videotaped snippets of 44 White House fund-raising coffees, presidential lawyers revealed yesterday that they have discovered additional recordings of President Clinton at other fund-raising events."

WASHINGTON - Before Sept. 11, one of the principal legislative objectives of congressional reformers was campaign finance reform, with advocates of both parties poised for a final push to enactment. The Senate had already passed its version of the bill banning soft money, and the House, having approved such legislation in two previous sessions, was ready to do the same. But now, with only weeks before the end of the year, the legislation appears stalled, at least until Congress comes back from the year-end holidays.

WASHINGTON -- Now that the initial euphoria has passed over the enactment of the first modest campaign finance reform in 21 years, the key question is whether it's the first step toward more significant advances, or an excuse for ignoring further reform. Congress' agreement to require certain tax-exempt groups under Section 527 of the tax code to disclose political expenditures made, and the hitherto-secret names of individuals who provide the money for them, is being hailed as a breakthrough.

WASHINGTON -- A rising tide of public frustration at the torrent of money flowing into politics forced House Republican leaders yesterday to consent to a vote on broad campaign finance reform legislation next month.The decision marked a sharp retreat for Republican leaders, who only weeks ago had all but buried campaign finance legislation. The effort still has a steep hill to climb: Even if it passes the House, it faces almost certain death in the Senate, where Republicans have filibustered to block the measure.

Gov. Parris N. Glendening has thrown strong support behind an effort to overhaul the state's campaign finance laws -- with the caveat that the reforms should apply to his potential opponents as well.The governor, who has been embarrassed on several occasions by the fund-raising missteps of his campaign organization, made his views known in a letter this week to the chairmen of the House and Senate committees that are considering campaign finance reform bills.Hearings on the bills began yesterday in the House Commerce and Government Matters Committee with a call by Speaker Casper R. Taylor Jr. to pass legislation that would help "change the cynicism" of Maryland voters.

WASHINGTON -- Rep. Constance A. Morella of Montgomery County and four other moderate Republicans bucked their party's House leadership yesterday, joining a Democratic effort to force an early vote on campaign finance reform."

The General Assembly is considering a proposal to double the amount contributors can donate to all candidates running for state-regulated offices during a four-year cycle - a concept embraced by Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. The legislation, which is pending in the House of Delegates and Senate, would increase the limit to $20,000. The current $10,000 limit was established in 1991. "I am sympathetic to the cause," said Ehrlich, noting that some of his contributors exceeded the limits during the campaign.