Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, August 22, 1994 TAG: 9408220104
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
L.F. Payne, D-Nelson County, ranked 23rd on the list with $363,793 received from PACs in the past 18 months, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported Sunday.
Payne, who won a spot on the powerful tax-writing Ways and Means Committee last year, jumped ahead of Rep. Thomas J. Bliley, R-Richmond, who was No. 25 with $333,388 from PACs, the figures show.
That puts them among the top 6 percent of PAC money recipients in the House, a list that includes former Ways and Means Chairman Dan Rostenkowski (No. 3), Speaker Thomas Foley (No. 5) and Minority Whip Newt Gingrich (No. 20).
Payne's challenger, Republican George Landrith III of Charlottesville, is making PAC money an issue in his campaign. Landrith, trailing badly in fund raising with $95,583, has received only $1,000 from PACs. He argues that because 86 percent of the $423,131 Payne has raised in the past 18 months comes from PACs, Payne is obligated to special interests.
``He's PAC-Man,'' Landrith said. ``When I campaign in the district, it's very apparent to me the special interests are backing him, and the voters aren't.''
Payne is attractive to PACs because of his Ways and Means seat and the crucial role the committee will play in the debate over health care reform. Giving from health industry PACs to congressional campaigns since January 1993 has increased 51 percent over the amount they gave those campaigns between January 1991 and June 1, 1992.
In Payne's case, health care PAC donations have increased from $12,500 in the last election cycle when he did not belong to Ways and Means to $81,487 this year, the newspaper reported.
Tobacco company PACs also gave generously to Payne. The Philip Morris Co. PAC has donated $6,000, and Pinkerton Tobacco Co. PAC has given the maximum, $10,000.
With his vote on Ways and Means, Payne successfully fought to limit increases in tobacco taxes, which would hit his tobacco-growing district hard, to help pay for health care reform.
Payne said campaign donations do not influence how he votes, and that his constituents know it. The seventh-year lawmaker predicted that about half of his campaign donations would ultimately represent gifts from individuals.
``I think the people back home are making judgments on the perception of how well you're representing them and their interests,'' he said.
He said PACs can't buy access, either, and that his office gives first priority to his 5th District constituents in setting up his appointments.
Other Virginians the FEC ranked among the top PAC fund-raisers in the House included Rick Boucher, D-Abingdon, who was 34th with $304,233; James Moran, D-Alexandria, 45th with $264,235; and Leslie L. Byrne, D-Fairfax, 50th with $252,529.
The top House PAC-money recipients overall were Majority Leader Richard Gephardt, D-Mo., $869,100; Vic Fazio, D-Calif., chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, $687,762; Rostenkowski, D-Ill., $680,154; Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman John Dingell, D-Mich., $627,105; and Foley, D-Wash., $575,325.
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB