ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, October 30, 1996 TAG: 9610300056
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-3 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: WASHINGTON
SOURCE: Associated Press
Under intense pressure to give an accounting of its pre-election fund-raising, the Democratic National Committee released a list of contributors and expenses Tuesday - but not the full report normally filed by political parties.
DNC General Chairman Christopher Dodd said his staff would ``work continuously'' to file a complete report with the Federal Election Commission ``as soon as possible.''
DNC spokeswoman Amy Weiss Tobe said the full report would be submitted to the FEC on the proper forms this week.
The DNC's initial decision not to file a pre-election report, which was due last Thursday, was widely criticized by Republicans and independent advocates of campaign finance reform.
Republican National Committee Chairman Haley Barbour accused the DNC of ``blatantly flouting the law.''
``The purpose of this law is that the public has a right to know before the election,'' he said.
Dodd maintained the DNC was not legally required to file the report immediately because the party didn't spend any money on President Clinton's or other campaigns during the Oct. 1-15 period the report covers.
The Democrats were scrambling to release the information now, Dodd said, because the party ``is committed to full disclosure.''
On Monday, the DNC had said it would not file another financial report until Dec. 5, a month after the election. Under a firestorm of criticism, the Democrats reversed themselves Tuesday.
``We made a mistake, and we corrected it today,'' Dodd said.
Barbour said his party would seek a court injunction to prevent the DNC from spending money ``until the FEC report is filed as required by law.'' The GOP expected to file the lawsuit in U.S. District Court today.
On Tuesday, the DNC gave reporters an inch-thick stack of papers listing contributors' names and addresses, transfers of money and spending. Party officials said the information also was turned over to the FEC.
The papers did not include some details required in FEC reports, such as the purpose of each disbursement.
Angered by the Democrats' initial decision to skip the report, a group of GOP congressional leaders renewed a call for an independent counsel investigation of Democratic fund raising, including allegations of illegal contributions from foreign individuals and corporations.
Four GOP House committee chairmen asked Attorney General Janet Reno to appoint a special counsel.
LENGTH: Medium: 56 lines KEYWORDS: POLITICS PRESIDENTby CNB