Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, August 27, 1995 TAG: 9508280080
SECTION: NATL/INTL PAGE: A2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: THE NEW YORK TIMES
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium
The campaign said it had accepted the June donation by mistake, and never would have taken money from an organization that supports positions Dole opposes, such as allowing homosexuals in the military.
But correspondence produced Saturday by the president of the group, the Log Cabin Republicans, showed that Dole's national finance chairman had sought the group's help in raising money as recently as May.
The returned donation is the latest sign that Dole is intensifying his yearlong drive to court conservative Republican groups in the aftermath of his humbling tie with Sen. Phil Gramm of Texas in an Iowa straw poll last weekend.
Nelson Warfield, Dole's spokesman, said that the campaign had accepted the donation from the Log Cabin Republicans, a nationwide organization with more than 40 chapters, only because of ``a financial screw-up.''
``It's our policy that we won't accept contributions from groups that have a specific political agenda that's fundamentally at odds with Senator Dole's record and his views,'' he said.
But Richard L. Tafel, Log Cabin president, said he had dealings with several senior Dole campaign officials who had solicited his organization. He also said he prominently wore a Log Cabin lapel button as he discussed AIDS budget allocations with Dole at one of the senator's fund-raising events.
Tafel made available a letter he received from John A. Moran, the Dole finance director. ``Per our discussion,'' Moran wrote, ``I am attaching a list of upcoming Dole for president fund-raising events. Senator Dole and I would appreciate any assistance you could give us in turning out your members at each event. I am looking forward to working with you.'' The letter, dated May 24, closed, ``With all good wishes. Cordially, John.''
Asked about the letter and other conversations between Log Cabin and the campaign, Warfield said, ``That communication was not authorized.'' He said Moran had since been told by Scott Reed, the campaign manager, to ``exercise more caution'' in his fund-raising appeals.
And Warfield suggested that Log Cabin made the contribution for publicity, saying, ``They're struggling for credibility.''
Warfield said that the campaign had returned donations that violated campaign finance laws, but the Log Cabin contribution was the first one returned for ideological reasons.
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB