Campaign-spending overhaul heads for showdown in House

by David Espo
The Associated Press

WASHINGTON – Supporters of far-reaching campaign finance legislation handily prevailed on early test votes yesterday as the House struggled through a marathon debate over rules to reduce the role of money in politics.

But even as the bill's backers savored their initial successes, the White House singled out a late change in the legislation as "unfair, unwise and unwarranted." Spokesman Ari Fleischer said, "The president believes that this should be removed."

The developments, in a debate that threatened to stretch well past midnight, underscored the unpredictability of an issue that has veered between lofty constitutional concerns and bare-knuckled political combat.

"The current campaign finance system is a disaster and it's an embarrassment to American democracy," said Rep. Bernard Sanders, I-Vt., one of a parade of lawmakers who argued that legislation was needed to rein in special interests.

But critics argued just as passionately that the bill was unconstitutional, and a fraud as well. "This bill does not contain real reform. Instead, this bill strips citizens of their political rights and unconstitutionally attempts to regulate political speech," said Rep. Tom DeLay, the House GOP whip.

The House bill, the most sweeping set of campaign law changes in a generation, would ban unlimited "soft money" donations to the national political parties, typically five and six-figure donations made by corporations, unions and individuals.

State and local parties would be permitted to raise soft money, but only in amounts of $10,000 or less. None of the funds could be spent on political commercials.

The bill, pushed to the floor over the opposition of Republican leaders, also would ban the use of soft money to buy "issue ads" within 60 days of an election or 30 days of a primary. These ads are typically purchased by interest groups, and while they stop short of expressly advocating the victory or defeat of a candidate, they often are harshly critical.

Supporters and opponents of the bill have both predicted that Bush would sign whatever legislation emerges from Congress. But GOP leaders have urged him - at a minimum - to slow the bill's progress. And the White House's actions during the day had the potential to do that.

The president injected a new note of uncertainty when he expressed disagreement with a provision delaying implementation of the new rules until after the November elections.

"It seems like to me that if they get a bill out of the House of Representatives that improves the system, it ought to be in effect immediately," Bush said.