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CNN Live At Daybreak

Campaign Finance May Stall Over Procedure

Aired July 12, 2001 - 08:05   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LINDA STOUFFER, CNN ANCHOR: The agonizing over campaign spending could peak today in the House. Members debate and could possibly vote on reform legislation, but now there is a fight over rules and procedures there, and that of course could delay things.

CNN's Patty Davis is on the Hill this morning, for the latest on all of this.

Hello there -- Patty.

PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Linda.

It is a high-stakes game today in the House. The bill's sponsors -- Republican Chris Shays and Democrat Marty Meehan -- are saying that the House Rules Committee is being unfair, the House Rules Committee deciding last night that there will be more than 12 separate votes on changes that the sponsors wanted to make to their bill. Now Shays and Meehan had only wanted one big vote on all those changes. They worry that many votes might split all the supporters as they try to put their coalition together.

Both sides, meanwhile, have been working intensely to get the votes that they need.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAVIS (voice-over): With the outcome of House action on campaign finance uncertain, supporters of a virtual ban on unlimited donations to political parties are fighting to keep their coalition together.

REP. MARTY MEEHAN (D), MASSACHUSETTS: And I believe that we are going to be able to pass this bill by the end of the week. We don't have the votes yet, but we're working diligently to get the votes.

DAVIS: House Democratic leader Dick Gephardt is heading up the last-minute lobbying, campaign finance seen as a major test of his leadership.

REP. RICHARD GEPHARDT (D-MO), MINORITY LEADER: In the next 48 hours, we're not going to stop fighting for Shays-Meehan. We will talk to every member, and we'll work for every vote in favor of real campaign finance reform.

DAVIS: Gephardt along with the bill's Republican sponsor, Christopher Shays, made last-minute appeals to Congressional Black Caucus members to head off support for a competing measure. That bill, which limits but doesn't ban soft money, has already won the backing of some caucus members.

REP. CHRISTOPHER SHAYS (R), CONNECTICUT: They're a major force. They're almost 50 members, and their opposition could mean the defeat of campaign finance reform.

DAVIS: In last-minute enticements to the caucus, Gephardt pledged to try to dedicate more party money to help voter registration and grassroots efforts, and promised changes in the bill making it easier for state and local parties to raise as much as $10,000 in soft-money a year for get-out-the-vote efforts.

REP. ELIJAH CUMMINGS (D), MARYLAND: The caucus is right now I think quite divided.

DAVIS: Ironically, just next door to the Congressional Black Caucus, House moderate Republicans were meeting, many also undecided. Shays and Republican Bob Ney, the competing bill's sponsor, took turns going from group to group with their pitch.

REP. BOB NEY (R), OHIO: And I can tell you that I have picked up today over six members that supported Shays-Meehan who are going to be on.

DAVIS: Ney said his alternative is gaining momentum.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

DAVIS: The first order of business today in the House on campaign finance will be voting on that procedural rule. Both Shays and Meehan say that they plan to vote against that plan, to get their supporters to vote against it. However if that rule does die, campaign finance, at least, could be on indefinite delay -- Linda.

STOUFFER: A fight up to the last minute.

Patty Davis, thank you very much.

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