THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 27, 1996 TAG: 9610270366
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B4 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: KINSTON, N.C. LENGTH: 41 lines
A report that a private foundation named for U.S. Sen. Jesse Helms received donations from foreign governments was merely pre-election Helms bashing, the senator said Saturday.
``As long as it's lawful, what's wrong with it?'' Helms said after a small pro-tobacco rally at the Lenoir County Fairgrounds. ``It's typical right-before-the-election tactics against Jesse Helms.''
Helms was referring to a Washington Post report that the Jesse Helms Center in Wingate received $225,000 in 1993 from Taiwan. In 1991, the government of Kuwait gave the center $100,000.
``I'm proud of the center and so are the people of that area,'' said Helms, a Republican senator and Foreign Relations Committee chairman who is seeking a fifth term.
A former employee of the center told the Post that Helms suggested Taiwan make a donation because he usually supported issues the country supported.
While forbidden from giving money directly to Helms, the Taiwanese government was free to donate to the center, located in a renovated antique store. Last year, the center's assets totaled $5.2 million. The money is used to operate a museum honoring Helms' political career, house his archives and host conservative speakers at Wingate College.
The revelation of the Taiwanese donation followed reports that an Indonesian banker gave $200,000 to the Democratic Party. That contribution has created controversy for President Clinton's re-election campaign.
Campaigning in Elizabeth City, Helms' Democratic Senate challenger, Harvey Gantt, questioned Helms' loyalties.
``It clearly begs the question of, `Is he there to represent the people or foreign countries that do not have financial campaign (donation) limits?' '' said Gantt, a former Charlotte mayor whom Helms defeated in the 1990 Senate race.
KEYWORDS: U.S. SENATE RACE CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS DONATIONS
NORTH CAROLINA by CNB