ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, February 2, 1997 TAG: 9702030072
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-6 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: RICHMOND
SOURCE: LAURA LAFAY STAFF WRITER|
Virginia's delegates on Saturday unanimously advanced a bill prohibiting themselves from soliciting and taking money when the General Assembly is in session.
The bill, originally drafted to apply only to legislators, was amended to also prohibit the governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general from soliciting and taking money while in office.
That amendment was proffered by House Majority Leader Richard Cranwell, D-Vinton. It set off a dizzying two-hour storm of political manipulation and rhetoric as Democrats sought to make the bill untenable for the Republicans and Republicans sought to amend it in ways unacceptable to the Democrats.
With all 100 seats up for re-election this fall, no member of either party wanted the stigma of voting against campaign finance reform.
"They're voting for the title of the bill. They don't care what it says," said Petersburg Democrat Jay DeBoer. "They can't afford to be seen voting against campaign finance reform. That's the stupidity of this process."
The bill will come up for a final House vote Monday. If approved, it moves on to the Senate.
Saturday's partisan circus began at 2:45 p.m. when Democrats infuriated Republicans by offering a floor amendment extending the proposed prohibition to statewide officeholders, including the governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general.
Unless those officeholders have officially declared their intent to run for another office or seek re-election, the amendment decreed, they would be barred from seeking and taking money. Elected officials, such as the governor, habitually raise money year-round for their parties, other candidates or themselves.
"This amendment is an initiative to divide and conquer so that this [campaign reform] legislation may be dealt a death blow, and that's what's going on," declared Amherst County Republican Vance Wilkins.
Wilkins and his fellow Republicans retaliated with a fusillade of their own amendments. Among their proposals: ban all legislators from accepting money year round; ban all legislators from taking money until they have declared their intent to run for re-election; prohibit legislators from taking payment to represent clients before state boards; and a half dozen other changes designed to gut the original amendment.
"They were trying to get the bill in a posture where even the Democrats couldn't vote for it," said Del. William Robinson, D-Norfolk.
Speeches and denunciations followed each proposed amendment. There was a lengthy verbal standoff between Cranwell and State GOP leader Randy Forbes of Chesapeake. As each amendment came up for a vote, Republicans shouted, "YES!" in deafening unison. The Democrats followed, yelling, "NO!" in even louder tones. Loudoun County Republican William Mims urged reason, but his voice was lost in the fray. Finally, Virginia's only Independent legislator, Lacey Putney of Bedford, could take no more.
"We can do better than what we've done on this floor today," he admonished his colleagues.
His words earned a standing ovation from the Republican side of the room.
Cranwell, however, remained unrepentant.
"This is a good faith effort on my part," he told the delegates. "If we're going to do this, we've got to try to close all the doors. Don't just pay lip service to the concept. The problem is the fact that there are so many ways to launder money and to hide it that there's no way the voters can figure out what's going on."
By 5 p.m., the smoke had cleared. Both sides claimed victory, with Republicans implying that the bill could go through yet another metamorphosis.
"At least this keeps the bill alive," said Forbes. "Hope springs eternal. As long as the bill is alive, there's hope we can get something through."
"I'm glad they feel strongly about it," Cranwell said of the Republicans. "We all voted for it because we all feel strongly. But if they're going to try to water it down, I don't think they're going to get a lot of support."
Virginia is one of 26 states where lawmakers can solicit and accept special-interest money while voting on matters affecting the same interests.
A Roanoke Times computer survey shows that 37 of 140 state lawmakers reported receiving at least one contribution during the 1996 General Assembly session.
Critics say the practice can create the perception of corporations buying favor or lawmakers shaking down special interests.
LENGTH: Medium: 85 lines KEYWORDS: GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1997by CNB