Attempt to Restrict Union Activity Voted Down

W A S H I N G T O N, March 21 -- The Senate refused today to erect newbarriers in the way of political activity by unions andcorporations after supporters of campaign finance legislationobjected to the proposal as a thinly disguised attack on organizedlabor that would doom their bill to defeat.

"This is a poison poll that has nothing to do with unionmembers' rights but everything with defeating campaign financereform," said Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., in a debate that wasoccasionally heated, yet leavened by an unusual public hug by twolawmakers in the Senate's center aisle.

"We all know what's going on here," said Sen. Orrin Hatch,R-Utah, who advanced the provision that incorporated requirementsthat President Bush said last week he hoped would pass. "There arepeople on that [Democratic] side who'll fight to their deathbecause although 40 percent of all union members are Republican,virtually 100 percent of all union money is spent to electDemocrats."

Numerous key votes still lie ahead on the campaign finance bill,which is expected to remain on the floor through the end of nextweek. But the vote on the so-called paycheck protection amendmentwas the latest in a string of triumphs for Sens. John McCain,R-Ariz., Russ Feingold, D-Wis., and their allies in the attempt topass legislation designed to curtail the role of money in politics.

Unions Make Predominately Soft-Money Contributions

The bill would ban so-called soft money, the loosely regulated,unlimited donations that unions, corporations and individuals maketo political parties. It also would place restrictions on certaintypes of political advertising broadcast within 60 days of anelection or 30 days of a primary.

In a vote earlier in the day, amid talk of "price gouging,"the Senate told the nation's television stations to stop chargingcandidates so much money for political advertising. Supporters saidthe provision was needed to reduce the need for campaign money atthe same time they are attempting to reduce the supply.