Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, June 4, 1993 TAG: 9306040067
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: ROB EURE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
Allen, the only one of the three Republican candidates for governor who opposed the one-gun-a-month measure approved by the state legislature last winter, has the NRA's endorsement, but has not listed any NRA contributions on his financial reports.
That's apparently because the NRA made its $25,000 donation through a political action committee called Virginians for Responsible Leadership, set up May 4.
"There's no question this money from the NRA was for George Allen," said Steve Haner, a spokesman for Earle Williams, one of Allen's rivals for the nomination. "They are trying to hide the NRA's involvement and evade public scrutiny by laundering the money."
More than 13,000 Republicans are expected to converge on Richmond today and Saturday to nominate either Allen, Williams or Del. Clinton Miller for governor. Miller was an outspoken supporter of the gun-limit law, while Williams backed a modified plan drafted by GOP lawmakers.
Virginians for Responsible Leadership lists only two contributors since its founding two months ago, $25,000 from the NRA and $20,000 from another PAC, Commonwealth Sportsmen's Alliance, a pro-gun and hunting group that made its donation four days before the second PAC was formally constituted. It is run by an Allen supporter, Powhatan County GOP Chairman Kirby Burch.
The Virginians For Responsible Leadership report lists only a secretary and a treasurer among principal officers.
Mary Sutherland, the treasurer, said Thursday the group has not chosen a president and was not established only to back Allen. The PAC's $20,000 in expenditures, however, include only payments to Allen consultants and a $10,000 contribution to Allen's campaign.
Sutherland answered the phone listed on the PAC's organizational statement from her office at MBM, the company run by M. Boyd Marcus, Allen's chief campaign strategist.
An NRA spokesman had no comment on the contribution. The organization has been mum about Allen since early this week, when he won the endorsement of the primary Republican supporter of the gun-a-month measure, former U.S. Attorney Richard Cullen.
Appearing Tuesday with Cullen, Allen appeared to soften his opposition to the gun law, saying as governor he would not seek its repeal. He also said he is "open" to further restrictions on assault weapons but later sought to distance himself from that remark.
Allen's campaign did not return phone calls Thursday.
"The Cullen endorsement and the new position on the one-gun law turn out to be even bigger double-crosses than we thought," Haner said. "George took the money and ran."
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB