ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, March 26, 1997 TAG: 9703260085
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-3 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: BOSTON
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
Lawmakers must spend so much time raising money they can't focus on their jobs, the speakers said.
In the cradle of the American Revolution, a bipartisan group of lawmakers and activists kicked off a petition drive Tuesday aimed at generating grass-roots support for campaign finance reform.
The group calling itself ``Project Independence'' hopes to collect 1.776 million signatures by July 4th, President Clinton's deadline for Congress to send him campaign-reform legislation.
``We know that campaign finance reform is not going to be won in Washington,'' said Ann McBride, president of Common Cause. ``It's only going to be won here in Boston and New York and Louisiana and California, where millions of citizens join together to change the system.''
She was joined at a rally outside Faneuil Hall by U.S. Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Russell Feingold, D-Wis., former U.S. Sen. Bill Bradley, D-N.J., and U.S. Rep. Martin T. Meehan, D-Mass.
The speakers complained that under the current campaign financing system, lawmakers have to devote so much time to raising money that they can't focus on their jobs. Also, the system gives disproportionate power to special interests who can bundle donations together.
A measure co-sponsored by McCain and Feingold would, among other things:
Ban ``soft money'' contributions to national political parties, now unlimited and unregulated.
Prohibit political action committee contributions to federal candidates. The current limit is $5,000.
Forbid contributions by anyone not qualified to vote in a federal election, including noncitizens.
Reward candidates with free or discounted TV time and discounted postage if they agree to limit overall spending, restrict use of personal wealth and raise most of their money in their home states. The spending limit would be increased if they are targeted with substantial independent expenditures.
Meehan, along with U.S. Rep. Christopher Shays, R-Conn., is sponsoring a similar measure in the House. President Clinton has said he would sign the McCain-Feingold proposal.
LENGTH: Medium: 51 lines KEYWORDS: POLITICSby CNB