DATE: Friday, October 31, 1997              TAG: 9710310664

SECTION: FRONT                   PAGE: A7   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY WARREN FISKE, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: RICHMOND                          LENGTH:   88 lines

CHRISTIAN COALITION'S VOTER GUIDE DISTORTS VIEWS, 2 GROUPS CHARGE CRITICS CALL ON MINISTERS TO CANCEL PLANS TO DISTRIBUTE THE GUIDE IN CHURCH SUNDAY.

Two liberal public interest groups accused the Christian Coalition on Wednesday of intentionally distorting the views of Democratic statewide candidates on more than 1.2 million voter guides that will be distributed in churches this weekend.

The guides, for example, say all three members of the Democratic ticket are unclear about their position on raising taxes despite numerous public statements by each of the candidates against increases.

The guides also list the Democrats as favoring ``abortion on demand,'' even though all three candidates are on record as supporting state laws that require parental notification before minors' pregnancies are ended.

The discrepancies caused leaders of the People for the American Way and the Interfaith Alliance Council to mail a letter to ministers across the state urging them not to allow distribution of the guides in their churches Sunday.

``The Christian Coalition's voter guides are a source of great concern to many Christian leaders,'' said the letter, signed by two Northern Virginia pastors affiliated with the groups. They called publication of the guides ``manipulative activities being carried out under the Christian banner.''

The letter is the latest round in the ongoing debate about the tax-exempt Coalition's political activities. The Federal Election Commission has sued the Coalition, claiming it is little more than a front for the Republican Party.

The Chesapeake-based Coalition, founded by religious broadcaster Pat Robertson, has long insisted it is a nonpartisan political education group for 1.8 million Christian conservatives across the nation. It claims its guides meet the legal definition of nonpartisan as long as they don't endorse any candidate by name.

Arne Owens, a spokesman for the coalition, dismissed the latest criticism. ``It's the same old diatribe that's made every time there's an election,'' he said. ``The voter guides are in fact neutral and non-partisan.''

In the governor's race, the guides compared Republican James S. Gilmore III favorably to Democrat Donald S. Beyer Jr. in supporting socially conservative views on 10 issues. Robertson has contributed $100,000 to Gilmore's campaign since 1993 and given nothing to Beyer.

In the lieutenant governor's race, Republican John H. Hager was credited with having a more socially conservative view on each of six issues than Democrat L.F. Payne. Robertson has donated $25,000 to Hager's campaign and nothing to Payne's.

In the attorney general's race, Republican Mark L. Earley was listed as more conservative on each of six issues than Democrat William D. Dolan III. Robertson has given $30,000 to Early and nothing to Dolan.

During Thursday's news conference at a historic Richmond church, spokesmen for People for the American Way and the Interfaith Council cited inconsistencies in the guides.

Beyer and Dolan, for example, never responded to a detailed questionnaire the coalition sent candidates in August. As a result, Owens said, the coalition relied on public statements by the candidates to summarize their positions on a variety of issues. However, despite repeated campaign statements from Beyer and Dolan that they oppose tax increases, the coalition said each had ``no response'' to the issue.

Payne, who responded to the coalition, fared no better. Despite writing on the questionnaire that he opposes a tax increase, his position was described as ``unclear'' on the subject. The coalition explained the rating in a footnote, saying Payne declined to sign a ``no new taxes'' pledge.

``It is astonishing the Christian Coalition acknowledges that while a candidate answered its question one way, they reported a different response,'' said Alma Henderson, an attorney for People for the American Way.

Owens said the coalition is not obliged to merely report a candidate's responses to the questionnaire on the guide. ``We examine their records and public statements,'' he said. ``A lot of folks will say something at election time but do something different once they get elected.''

Page Boinest, a spokeswoman for Beyer, suggested a different motive for the coalition. ``Pat Robertson has given money to Jim Gilmore and his ticket mates, so it's not surprising they would try to present them in the most favorable light.''

Republicans, however, also were far from pleased by the accuracy of the guides. The three members of the GOP ticket were listed as unequivocally supporting use of taxpayers' money to pay for private school. All three say they are open to studying the idea, but say they would oppose it if it came at the expense of support to public schools.

``Obviously, we're not entirely pleased with the guide,'' said Chris LaCivita, executive director of the state Republican Party. ``We'd have preferred to see a bit more explanation on vouchers.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photos

GARY C. KNAPP/The Virginian-Pilot

...Donald S. Beyer Jr... James S. Gilmore III... KEYWORDS: ELECTION VIRGINIA GUBERNATORIAL RACE VIRGINIA

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