
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, August 19, 1993                   TAG: 9308190243
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE                                LENGTH: Medium

GOP WANTS BILL REQUIRING POLLSTERS TO SAY WHO'S PAYING

Republicans say they will introduce legislation requiring pollsters to state who is paying for the survey when calling participants.

GOP candidates said they are upset over tactics used by the firm Cooper & Secrest in conducting polls paid for by Democrats. The candidates want the polling organization and others to make a statement that would be much like the disclaimer at the end of political commercials.

The Republicans claim the polling questions make inaccurate or distorted accusations about candidates. They say the purpose of such calls from Cooper & Secrest is not so much to sample public opinion as it is to spread innuendo.

The polls last week were "the most pernicious campaign of political dirty tricks I have ever witnessed," said Hanover Del. Frank Hargrove, vice chairman of the Joint Republican Caucus.

Kevin Mack, director of the Democratic legislative caucus, called the complaints about the polling a "Republican red herring," and said there was no intent to spread misinformation.

"You ask a question to determine what's a legitimate campaign issue," Mack said.

Pollsters asked Prince William County voters if they would vote for a man who had a lien against his property, such as Republican Del. Robert Marshall, who is running against Democrat Peter Ebert.

Marshall said the question implies that he has been delinquent in paying his taxes.

In fact, Marshall said, he did until recently have a lien against his house, but said it was placed there by mutual agreement with his homeowners' association. Marshall didn't want to pay dues to retain swimming privileges at a pond owned by residents of the subdivision. The lien was placed against Marshall's house so that subsequent owners could resume swimming privileges if they wanted.

Del. Peter Way, R-Albemarle, another target of the polls, held a news conference Tuesday outside Cooper & Secrest's phone bank in Charlottesville.

Way said he will sponsor a bill requiring polling organizations to state when calling participants who authorized the poll.

Keywords:
POLITICS

by CNB