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The Salt Lake Tribune OPINION Saturday, December5, 1998 If No Man Is ‘Above theLaw,’ Then Why Do Both Parties Flout Campaign Finance Laws? Auditors from the Federal Election ignoring the campaign financin and nobody is doing anything tog laws stop them. WEAN This country decided long ago that COKIE ROBERTS STEVE ROBERTS Commission now confirm what has long been obvious. Both parties are blatantly All special interest contributions debase and distort the public policy process. Corporations were barred from direct donations in 1907, labor unionsin the 1940s, Strict limits were placed on individuals after the Watergate scandal in the 1970s. Thereis a lotof sanctimonioustalk in Washington these days about no presi- But now, thanks to soft money, the lim- dent being “abovethe law.” Fair enough. But no political party should be above its are off, and the law has collapsed. Not a vote was taken, not a hearing held. Yet almost a century of wise public policy the law, either. And both of them are stomping on theelection statutes and has been reversed So what can be done? The McCainFeingold bill, which would ban soft money, was killed in the Senate this year. It getting away withit. If somethingis not done soon, the next presidential campaign — which begins in UNITED FEATURES SYNDICATE earnest early next year — will set new records for sordidness and cynicism. No wonder so many Americans don’t vote were deliberately designed to evade the Here’s the problem. During the 1996 law. To argue otherwise, says Fred Wertheimer, a tenacious reform advocate, is to perpetuate “one of the greatest fictions in American political histo- campaign, both parties raised huge amounts of so-called ‘soft money,” unlimited and unregulated funds supplied mainly by folks who want to buyinfluencein the capital — corporations, trade ry. But a second law was broken as well By taking public moneyfor their camPaigns, the presidential candidates associations, labor unions, wealthy pow- er brokersand thelike. The law clearly says this money can only be used to build parties, not pro- promisedto limittheir spendingtofixed amounts. The soft money they used for mote individual candidates. Yet both TVads busted thoselimits. Badly. The FEC report released Tuesday rec- parties poured millions of dollars of soft moneyinto television commercials that directly benefited Bill Clinton and Bob Dole. dorsed an independentcounsel, and both have been subpeonaedbythe House Ju- whofeed at the soft moneytrough have absolutely no interest in changing the dent. (The Dole case does not appear to be undercriminalinvestigation.) between three Republicans and three away by a floodtide of special interest Again,the bettingis that Reno will bail Democrats, the FEC has long been a toothless patsy, and the betting is that cash. the commissioners will reject their own out, arguing that Clinton acted in good faith, with the advice of his lawyers. and did not intend to break any law Onthecrimina! front, Attorney Gener- ask for an independent counsel, she can restricted campaign cashis not a healthy staff's suggestion Asystem that allows powerful corpo- rations and rich individuals to throw Evenif the attorneygeneral does not week whether to recommend the appointment of an independentcounsel to Both FBI director Louis Freeh and federal prosecutor Charles LaBella have en- parkingticketin either case The stakes are huge. Candidates in both parties are already raising soft money through various front groups for the 2000 election, and what's left of the campaign financing limits will be washed peachment charges against the presi investigate Clinton’s fund-raisingtactics. in taxpayer subsidies and tagged Dole with a $17.7 million bill. Not exactly a Congressand should be closed. diciary Committee now considering im- rules and will try to bury it again. On the civil front, the Federal Election Commission is considering the audit that criticizes both parties. Evenly divided al Janet Renois scheduled to decide next ommendedthatClinton repay $7 million There simplyis no question. The ads will return in January, but politicians their political weight aroundthrough un- still play a useful role here. As Fred system Wertheimer suggests, she can “make it very clear for the future that the law doesn’t allow this,” that Clinton’s legal interpretation is wrong, that the soft Even if the laws are not changed, the statutes now on the books should be enforced. That's the least the citizens should expect from their government — moneyloophole was never intended by law and order. Ruminations on the Latest Impeachment Maneuvers and Countermaneuvers Hereis a synopsisof the Clinton situation, wrenched out of the busy events of the past week and including the exegeses on the Sunday talk shows. @ White House management feels the need to handle the perjury count on two WILLIAM F. BUCKLEY ted. The House knowsthe answer to that to proceed with conviction. Butif it is etiolated beyond recognition, those That line is complicated bythe lan- innocence. It boils down to, Howdo you as perjury notwithstanding the formalistic So the Houseisleft with a clear-cut management's answer on the matter of denials of management’s legal team. Those whobelieve that Clinton has disqualified himself as competent to serve edge “probable” gifts of chocolates and ‘_- becomes the battleground is the lan- Monica Lewinsky. There were 13 of these gifts. The tactic was to acknowl- guage in which the censure resolution will be phrased. The pressure, by the as president keeptelling us that perjury sunglasses. As to the balance, “I do not remembergiving hertheother gifts al- Hyde hassaid time and again that in the guage. Butit is unlikely the Republicans will countenance sheer euphemisms. though I might have. As I have previouslytestified, I give a very large number of gifts.” The list included: an Annie Len- Will Clinton feel the wound? Or will he succeed in simplyignoring it, as he has his oath of office? absenceof the enforcementofthe law on perjury, the whole foundation of demo- Congressisn’t really debating the question whether perjury has been commit- Conyers, you have 10 minutes.” gifts overthe monthsin question made to is a veryserious business. Rep. Henry are to proceed on different assumptions question, Is fellatio sexual relations? Mr. House of Representatives can beleft to scholars to wrangle over. But what then the year 2001: “I never admitted to per- now, the judicial system down the road, tatives with. “We will now examine the president is proper activity for the wants to emerge from this with a bone in jur So then two prosecutors, Congress would be aborted, and quarrels about whether a censure motion against the officer of the United States? Whatevidently rankled the most was lusioned. its mouth to presentto the prosecution in culties. The impeachment proceeding tion, Are you the chief lawenforcement tipsof their fingers will be utterly disil- into that situation. On the other hand, it define sexual relations? Management's position is that what he did with “that the termis defined here. But an etymological congressional debate on the question isn’t something he wants to burden his defenders in the House of Represen- the maneuveravoidsa great manydiffi- ing to answerpoint-blank even the ques- moral heat out of Congress to warm the Management doesnot want to back up @ The Democratsarerallying around the idea of censure. If they can do this, tactics by refus- Americans who want at least enough UNIVERSAL PRESS SYNDICATE guage required to plead management's ton’sgifts,it is time tocall the doctor. If he truly doesn't remember giving these gifts to Monica, he should beaskedif he remembers where Moscow is and whether the budget is balanced everyone in federal jail who has been sent up for perjury? @ Management's handling of the 81 questions was certainly provocative, bei y first, in which House management. If it is over-severe, that puts Congresson the spotforfailing lied?! My lawyersare on recordas saying I never committed perjury. ing. If this is a stock inventory of Clin- pose to PresidentClintonthat he pardon framed is very important to White tice Department, theline is, Who says I blanket and a marble bear's head carv- equal justice underthelaw, whynot pro- butthe language in which the rebuke is the lies in the between-us-kids mode — Yeah, I had sex with the girl and denied it. To the other forum, which is the Jus- woman” wasn’t “sexual relations,” But somethingis obviously needed in order to dramatize the gravity of the offense. Since everyone is committed to ry an impeachable offense? Theneedis veryclearto register some kind of dismay over whatClinton did, fronts. Onefrontcalls for acknowledging nox compact disk, a large Rockettes cratic government is shaken. one — yes, perjury was committed. The House will stick to the question, Is perju- Democrats, will be to ease up onthe lan- SHOP SPECIAL HOURS TODAY 9 AMTO 9:30.PM . -Selected Cargo. Pants & Sane ee ce cisecielEra WAU cre ty eee Teeter SAVE 40% ’ . . Misses’ EquipmentShirt - SAVE40-50% ; Juniors’ Fashion Jeans RMoliMayTo)BYee [Two-pocket, long-sleeve shirt. Select from 5 beautiful colors. Also available in Petites’ 4P-14P. Orig. 524, NOW ‘14.40. SeeMeetsGa Juniors’ Sneakers Selected Trend & Tailored AVE 33% SAVE 50% Kids’ Sunterra Windsuits Girls’ 7-16 and Boys’ 8-20. Orig. ‘30, NOW °20. Girls’ 4-6X and Boys’ 4-7. Orig. °28, NOW *18.75. Toddlers. Orig. °26, NOW ‘17.42. em Now °14 Now °18 OUR.EXCLUSIVE! 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