Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.metro From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: Lightfoot may expedite will of voters on campaign funds Date: Fri, 6 Nov 92 11:28:29 EST Message-ID: \SE B;METROPOLITAN \HD Lightfoot may expedite will of voters on campaign funds \BY Jonetta Rose Barras \CR THE WASHINGTON TIMES Responding to what he called the "will of the people," D.C. Council member William Lightfoot said yesterday he is considering emergency legislation to enact the campaign finance limits approved in Tuesday's election. Mr. Lightfoot originally opposed the measure, as had nearly all the other council members and Mayor Sharon Pratt Kelly. They said the initiative gave an unfair advantage to incumbents, who could use name recognition and legislative records to entice contributors. "We can't wait until after the Hill review," Mr. Lightfoot said yesterday, adding that council and mayoral hopefuls are already setting up their campaign organizations and raising funds. The mayoral and six council races are slated for 1994. All would be immediately affected by the initiative. "We either have to approve it immediately or make it effective retroactively," Mr. Lightfoot said. Initiative 41, which passed with 64 percent of the vote, would cap contributions to candidates for mayor, council chairman and at-large council members at $100. It also would limit contributions to ward council candidates and school board candidates to $50. Citizens for Campaign Finance Reform sponsored the initiative. A review of its report filed with the D.C. Office of Campaign Finance shows it received contributions from several out-of-state organizations, including the Center for New Democracy in Wisconsin. On June 16, the group received three separate contributions totaling $11,000 from the center. Later that month, it received two contributions totaling $12,000. Last month, the center made a contribution of $7,500. Brian Maney, spokesman for the coalition, could not be reached late yesterday for comment on the contributions. Before Initiative 41 becomes law, Tuesday's vote must be certified by the D.C. Board of Elections and it must undergo the normal 30-day congressional review. Mr. Lightfoot and other council members predicted it might be as late as March before it could take effect. Council member Jim Nathanson is reviewing how it might affect a package of campaign finance reform legislation just voted out of his Government Operations Committee. "I am going to look at my bill carefully and see where the initiative impacts it," Mr. Nathanson said. The bill proposes limiting contributions by business partnerships to political campaigns and prohibiting corporations from making such donations. It also proposes increasing penalties for various violations of the city's conflict-of-interest laws and changing how the director of the Office of Campaign Finance is appointed. District Building sources yesterday said Council Chairman John Wilson is considering amending Initiative 41. Mr. Lightfoot said he would be opposed to any "efforts to water down" the initiative. This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM