Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, July 17, 1993                   TAG: 9307170234
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: ROB EURE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND                                LENGTH: Medium

TIT FOR TAT: GUILT BY ASSOCIATION CANDIDATES' LATEST ISSUE

Democrat Mary Sue Terry and Republican George Allen are swapping charges of guilt by association. After hearing criticism from Allen all month for a Washington fund-raiser the president's wife attended, Terry's campaign gleefully called reporters Friday to talk about a Robertson fund-raiser for Allen Friday night.

The Virginia Beach televangelist entertained some 20 couples at his home to raise money for Allen. At $250 a couple, the event was expected to raise $5,000, Allen's staff said.

"I think it's fairly hypocritical of Allen when they say they plan to make an issue out of the company Mary Sue Terry keeps at her fund-raisers," Terry consultant Tom King said. "I'd argue this is a pattern: George says one thing and does something else, and he thinks he's not going to get called on it."

Terry's campaign was eager to call Allen on it Friday, when they sent copies of Robertson's invitation to reporters around the state.

Allen's campaign scoffed at the criticism.

"It's been known for some time that Pat Robertson has endorsed us," said Allen spokesman Jay Timmons. "I think there's a big difference between Pat Robertson, who is a Virginia resident and important businessman, and Hillary Clinton or Chuck Robb and Doug Wilder."

U.S. Sen. Charles Robb will hold a fund-raiser for Terry at his McLean home tonight, and Gov. Douglas Wilder, who said he plans to run against Robb for the Senate seat next year, is on the invitation list. Hillary Clinton was the honored guest at a Terry fund-raiser last month at the home of West Virginia Sen. Jay Rockefeller.

Republicans are making an issue of Terry's out-of-state fund raising, including stops this summer in Texas and California. Timmons pointed out Terry's $5,000 contribution from Kathleen Brown, sister of former California Gov. Jerry Brown, after a recent visit to the West Coast.

Allen's camp, however, is not promising to forgo its own out-of-state fund raising. Virginia and New Jersey are the only states with gubernatorial elections this year, so national party contributors can be more generous.

"It sounds like George Allen is trying to run away from his own words," said Terry spokesman Jay Marlin. "He said you are judged by who you stand with, and Pat Robertson represents the far right of the Republican Party."

Keywords:
POLITICS