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

DATE: TUESDAY, May 3, 1994                   TAG: 9405030172
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: DAVID M. POOLE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

GOP FEE LIKENED TO 'POLL TAX' STUDENTS' SUIT SAYS PRICE TOO HIGH

In a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Charlottesville, the students contend the convention fee is an unconstitutional "poll tax."

They want the courts to declare the convention fee illegal and order the Republican Party to re-open the process for selecting delegates who will nominate a U.S. Senate candidate on June 3-4 in Richmond.

State GOP chairman Patrick McSweeney called the lawsuit a baseless publicity stunt.

He said the courts have given political parties wide latitude in selecting candidates as long as public money is not involved.

"This is not an election. This is not a tax," McSweeney said.

An elections law expert agreed the lawsuit did not appear to have much merit.

"The Supreme Court in the last 10 years has told political parties that they can pretty much do what they want," said Jan Baran, an Alexandria attorney and former chairman of the American Bar Association Standing Committee on Election Law.

"It sounds like a group of people who may be disgruntled by what the Republican convention may [bring about], instead of by the process itself."

In fact, two of the students say they are supporting Jim Miller, who is considered to be trailing Iran-contra figure Oliver L. North in the GOP nominating contest. The third student said she is leaning toward Miller.

The lawsuit also questions the Virginia tradition - practiced by both Republicans and Democrats - of allowing candidates to pay convention fees for supporters.

Fortis Morse, a first-year law student from Giles County, claims that North campaign workers gave him $45 for the convention fee after he indicated he might be willing to support their candidate.

Jim Morris, a volunteer North coordinator in Albemarle County, acknowledged that he gave Morse a "loan" to attend the convention, as he has done for other students. Morris said he was repaid by a North campaign staffer.

But North spokesman Mark Merritt denied that the campaign paid for Morse or any other delegate.

"This is a setup from some kid in Charlottesville," Merritt said.

Keywords:
POLITICS