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Gun lobbyists request opinion on campaign law
Josey1
Member Posts: 9,598 ✭✭
Gun lobbyists request opinion on campaign law
By MARSHA SHULER
mshuler@theadvocate.com
Capitol news bureau
The nation's gun lobby will ask the state Ethics Board whether new limits on federally generated campaign contributions will stop it from helping state candidate campaigns.
"It's unclear to us," National Rifle Association lobbyist Tara Mica said Thursday.
At issue is a soon-to-be signed change in the law that bans congressmen from transferring federal campaign contributions to state election accounts.
The legislation surfaced after U.S. Rep. David Vitter, R-Metairie, who is eyeing the 2003 governor's race, fought a proposed Indian casino that Gov. Mike Foster supported. Vitter had $1 million in his congressional account.
Vitter quickly transferred $700,000 of it into a state governor's race exploratory committee before the bill had a chance to become law.
Mica said the NRA fears the bill would stop federally recognized political action committees, such as the one it operates, from contributing to state candidates.
That's why the NRA will ask the Louisiana Board of Ethics to clear up the situation. The board oversees administration of campaign-finance laws.
"We would rather know than act and find out we acted inappropriately," Mica said.
"The unknown is what concerns us. It's the law of unintended consequences if it's left open to interpretation," Mica said. "We want our 80,000-plus members in Louisiana to be able to participate in campaigns and support candidates."
If necessary, Mica said the group would seek remedial legislation in the 2003 Legislature "to ensure that we are able to participate in next year's elections and support candidates who support the Second Amendment" -- the right to bear arms.
State ethics attorney Maris McCrory said the full board would have to review the law before a formal opinion can be rendered.
However, McCrory said at first blush she didn't see how the change would stop federally recognized PAC contributions.
"I think it's more narrow than that," McCrory said.
"It's got to come from a (federal) candidate or his campaign committee before there is any restriction on it," McCrory said.
State Rep. Tony Perkins, R-Baker, raised the issue during Louisiana House debate on the campaign-finance bill.
Perkins said he didn't think lawmakers would want to give up the PAC contributions from federally recognized groups.
Legislators at times get substantial contributions from federal PACs, including those of the NRA, Entergy Corp., the American Sugar Cane League, AgriPAC and many others.
http://www.theadvocate.com/stories/041902/new_19campaign001.shtml
"If cowardly and dishonorable men sometimes shoot unarmed men with army pistols or guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary and gallows, and not by a general deprivation of a constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878
By MARSHA SHULER
mshuler@theadvocate.com
Capitol news bureau
The nation's gun lobby will ask the state Ethics Board whether new limits on federally generated campaign contributions will stop it from helping state candidate campaigns.
"It's unclear to us," National Rifle Association lobbyist Tara Mica said Thursday.
At issue is a soon-to-be signed change in the law that bans congressmen from transferring federal campaign contributions to state election accounts.
The legislation surfaced after U.S. Rep. David Vitter, R-Metairie, who is eyeing the 2003 governor's race, fought a proposed Indian casino that Gov. Mike Foster supported. Vitter had $1 million in his congressional account.
Vitter quickly transferred $700,000 of it into a state governor's race exploratory committee before the bill had a chance to become law.
Mica said the NRA fears the bill would stop federally recognized political action committees, such as the one it operates, from contributing to state candidates.
That's why the NRA will ask the Louisiana Board of Ethics to clear up the situation. The board oversees administration of campaign-finance laws.
"We would rather know than act and find out we acted inappropriately," Mica said.
"The unknown is what concerns us. It's the law of unintended consequences if it's left open to interpretation," Mica said. "We want our 80,000-plus members in Louisiana to be able to participate in campaigns and support candidates."
If necessary, Mica said the group would seek remedial legislation in the 2003 Legislature "to ensure that we are able to participate in next year's elections and support candidates who support the Second Amendment" -- the right to bear arms.
State ethics attorney Maris McCrory said the full board would have to review the law before a formal opinion can be rendered.
However, McCrory said at first blush she didn't see how the change would stop federally recognized PAC contributions.
"I think it's more narrow than that," McCrory said.
"It's got to come from a (federal) candidate or his campaign committee before there is any restriction on it," McCrory said.
State Rep. Tony Perkins, R-Baker, raised the issue during Louisiana House debate on the campaign-finance bill.
Perkins said he didn't think lawmakers would want to give up the PAC contributions from federally recognized groups.
Legislators at times get substantial contributions from federal PACs, including those of the NRA, Entergy Corp., the American Sugar Cane League, AgriPAC and many others.
http://www.theadvocate.com/stories/041902/new_19campaign001.shtml
"If cowardly and dishonorable men sometimes shoot unarmed men with army pistols or guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary and gallows, and not by a general deprivation of a constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878