ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, February 17, 1997 TAG: 9702170057
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-5 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: RICHMOND
SOURCE: DAVID M. POOLE STAFF WRITER
Democratic and Republican lawmakers huddling in separate closed-door meetings this year have at times resembled Moose lodge members selling tickets to the annual dinner dance.
Lawmakers got a list of contributors who had not made reservations to cocktail parties hosted by each political party. Lawmakers would be assigned to make a personal pitch, often with lobbyists with legislation pending before the General Assembly.
While no one has suggested anyone would sell their vote for a $135 donation, some lawmakers say they are uncomfortable touching lobbyists for cash while the Assembly is sitting.
"There's a public perception that dollars are driving decisions here," said John "Butch" Davies, D-Culpeper. "That's not true, but why do things that reinforce that perception?"
This month, the House of Delegates approved legislation that would ban lawmakers from soliciting or accepting money for their own campaigns while the Assembly is in session. But the House removed a proposed prohibition on lawmakers passing the cup for political party organizations.
A Senate committee voted to restore the prohibition, but the bill languished on the Senate floor for three days last week. Senior Democratic lawmakers have vowed to kill the measure, which still could be considered as soon as today, because they fear will go too far in restricting contributions.
"It will hurt the caucus fund-raiser," said Sen. Richard Holland, a Democrat from Isle of Wight County and treasurer of the Senate Democratic caucus.
Both political parties have found that the annual mid-winter General Assembly sessions are the most fruitful time to solicit money. The lawmakers have a captive audience of corporate lobbyists, who shell out between $100 and $1,000 for the privilege of rubbing shoulders with Assembly members at GOP and Democratic cocktail parties. Democrats also host a second fund-raiser, the Jefferson-Jackson Dinner, which took place Saturday night.
The caucuses use the money to help candidates in elections for the General Assembly, which in the 1990s emerged as a competitive two-party legislature. Democrats hold a four-seat margin in the House, while Democrats and Republicans are locked in a 20-20 deadlock in the Senate.
With the partisan margin so narrow, neither side is willing to give up any advantage. Senior Democrats say they need to take a personal role in raising money in order to match the firepower of Republican Gov. George Allen.
"If you don't have the Governor's Mansion, it's hard raising money," Davies said. "It's the feeling of the Democratic leadership that this is what gives us balance."
Davies and others who support the ban on contributions said the events could continue, with lawmakers sending out invitations to the events before the Assembly adjourns on the second Wednesday of each January.
The bill's sponsor, Portsmouth Del. Kenneth Melvin, has urged his colleagues to pass the measure now before a scandal erupts.
"I think we have been lucky, very lucky," Melvin told the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee last week. "But our luck may change with the tremendous cost of campaigns now.
"It's inevitable that somebody is going to do something that will bring discredit to this body. We should not be accepting funds or soliciting them while we're doing the people's business."
Opponents say the ban on contributions during assembly sessions is empty symbolism that would do nothing to cure the public cynicism about politicians.
Holland said the bill would not prevent him from soliciting money the day before the Assembly convenes and the day after it adjourns.
``If someone gave me a $500 contribution before the session, someone could say they were trying to buy my vote,'' Holland said. ``If someone gave me a $500 contribution afterwards, someone could say they were paying me off.''
Davies said he wasn't surprised that some lawmakers have not warmed to the idea: "Changing old habits is difficult. This is Virginia. We go slow."
LENGTH: Medium: 78 lines ILLUSTRATION: GRAPHIC: Chart by staff: Sitting on a war chest? KEYWORDS: MGR GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1997by CNB