MURPHY: WHEAT SHOULD RETURN CONTRIBUTIONS

U.S. Senate candidate Marsha Murphy Thursday continued to criticize her main Democratic primary opponent for his reliance on special-interest contributions.

Murphy said at a press conference in Cape Girardeau that $649,674 of the more than $1.2 million that her opponent, U.S. Rep. Alan Wheat, has raised for his campaign has come from special-interest groups or political action committees.

"Special interests have a stranglehold in Washington," said Murphy. The people of this country want their government back, but it won't happen until we reduce the influence Washington lobbyists and special-interest groups have over Congress.

"I promise the people of this region and Missouri that I will work hard for campaign finance reform if elected."

Murphy said she supports campaign finance reform that would:

-- Put in place a formula for limitation of campaign spending based on the office sought and the population of the state.

-- Guarantee free access to broadcast media for legitimate candidates.

-- Ban the transfer of money from one federal campaign to another.

-- Limit PAC contributions.

-- Establish a more stringent set of guidelines for fund raising done for congressional caucus foundations that are created and chaired by members of Congress.

She said that special interests funding Wheat's campaign are "not giving him money out of concern for the people and interests of Missouri; they are buying access and influence."

Murphy, who is serving her first term as Jackson County executive in Kansas City, called on Wheat to return $7,550 he has received from tobacco companies, $9,660 from savings and loans, and $8,000 from casinos and casino executives while in Congress.

Murphy said that while Wheat served as chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation the foundation accepted $155,000 in tobacco money, $120,000 from a military dictator in Nigeria, and $56,350 from a government agency that provides low-income housing in Washington, D.C.

"My question of Mr. Wheat, who serves on the District of Columbia Committee in Congress, is how accepting that money helped reduce Washington, D.C.'s shortage of affordable housing for the poor and homeless," said Murphy.

She said that although smoking-related illnesses are one of the leading causes of death in the country, there remains a government price-support system for tobacco that costs $15 million to $18 million a year.

"Why do we have it?" asked Murphy. "Because of the clout the tobacco interests have bought in Congress. Congressman Wheat is exhibit A."

Besides campaign finance reform, Murphy said she believes term limits are essential to limiting special interests' influence in Washington.

Although Wheat has been advertising heavily on television for weeks, Murphy said her ads, which start Saturday, have the kind of message that will focus voters on her candidacy.

"We have a message advantage, even with the funding disadvantage that we have," said Murphy.