ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, February 11, 1996 TAG: 9602120047
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-7 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: RICHMOND
SOURCE: BRIAN KELLEY STAFF WRITER
After surviving a bruising re-election bid last fall, House Majority Leader Richard Cranwell wanted to make it illegal for anybody to disseminate a campaign-related ad or statement that "contains a false statement of material fact about a candidate."
The Vinton Democrat's bill, which would enable an aggrieved candidate to seek civil damages for three times the cost of responding to an inaccurate campaign ad, died for the year Saturday.
The House Privileges and Elections Committee declined to send it to the full House. It then postponed action on it until next year.
The committee had combined Cranwell's measure with a similar bill introduced by Del. Robert McDonnell, R-Virginia Beach. McDonnell included a civil penalty of up to $2,500 for false campaign statements and ads.
Committee members talked over the bill's free-speech implications and how a lawsuit filed under it might end up being used routinely as a publicity stunt the week before an election.
"The bottom line on this is it's an incumbent protection plan," said Del. John Watkins, R-Chesterfield County. He and other committee members suggested incumbents could use it to go after even letter-to-the-editor writers who disagree with their voting records. "We need to take serious consideration before we load this gun," Watkins said.
But Del. Jackie Stump, D-Buchanan County, still stung by negative advertising in last fall's campaign, pushed for it. "All this does is reinforce the Ten Commandments: Thou shall not lie," he said.
Cranwell said later he introduced the bill not just because of his experiences with Republican opponent Trixie Averill in November, but because of a general trend toward campaigns that mislead people, misrepresent voting records or tell lies.
"People don't know who in the heck to believe anymore," Cranwell said. "That's having a negative impact on the entire electoral process because people are losing confidence. ... Whether this is the answer, I do not know. But I know that we've got to try something."
On the House floor Saturday, a bill to bring Virginia into compliance with the federal motor-voter law received tentative approval by a 74-25 vote after being amended to remove its emergency status. That means the law wouldn't take effect until July 1, after the Republican U.S. Senate primary in June. But it would be in place for the presidential and general election in November. It would allow Virginia voters to register by mail and at certain government agencies, such as Department of Motor Vehicles offices.
LENGTH: Medium: 54 lines KEYWORDS: POLITICS GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1996by CNB