State delegation splits on reform for spending in campaigns

Label hed: Party lines

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON -- Democratic Leader Dick Gephardt applauded House passage of campaign spending reforms Thursday, while another House leader, Republican Rep. Roy Blunt predicted such a law would be declared unconstitutional.

The other seven Missourians in Congress followed their leaders, splitting along party lines as the House passed legislation to rewrite campaign spending rules on a vote of 240-189.

Backers argue the reforms would clean up the nation's political campaigns by banning "soft" money, the unlimited donations that unions, corporations and individuals make to political parties. The bill also would curb late-campaign "attack ads" that have proliferated in recent years, by prohibiting the use of soft money to pay for them to be broadcast.

"I think the bill is good for the country. It is good for the political system," said Gephardt, a chief lobbyist for the bill. "It does put everybody more into the business of organization, of getting people to vote, of turning people out, of getting people to participate, of mobilizing voters, of motivating people to be participants in the political system."

Republican critics argue the bill is unconstitutional as well as biased in favor of Democrats.

A provision stopping unions, corporations and some independent groups from paying to broadcast attack ads within 60 days of an election "is really the most offensive part of this legislation and will be declared unconstitutional," said Blunt, the top deputy to Majority Whip Tom DeLay of Texas.

Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, a Republican who opposed the bill that passed early Thursday, called the loopholes "campaign finance hide-and-seek."

"What kind of campaign finance reform is this?" Emerson said. "As a result, the flood of soft money from both sides will still drown the only voices which are important -- the voices of the American people."

Blunt and Emerson were joined by Missouri GOP Reps. Todd Akin, Sam Graves and Kenny Hulshof in opposing the measure.

Gephardt was joined by Democratic Reps. William Lacy Clay, Karen McCarthy and Ike Skelton in voting for the measure.