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Lee unveils his soft-money plan

The Republican Senate president joins with Democrats in a bid to flush political slush funds.

By STEVE BOUSQUET
Published April 6, 2006

TALLAHASSEE - Republican Senate President Tom Lee is joining Democrats in a push to stop legislators from creating political slush funds with large unregulated money from special interests.

Lee made good Wednesday on a promise made months ago to attack the widespread practice of politicians soliciting so-called soft money from lobbyists and companies. Dozens of lawmakers, including Lee, have raised millions of dollars for loosely regulated committees, known as CCEs in state law or 527s under the IRS code.

Under Lee's proposal, the governor, Cabinet members, lawmakers and candidates for those offices would be banned from accepting, soliciting, or causing to be solicited money for those committees, including charitable groups formed under the IRS code 501(c)4 that exempts them from taxes.

In 2005, Gov. Jeb Bush formed a 501(c)4, the Foundation for Florida's Future, that has received large donations from interests with a stake pending Capitol issues.

"I think it would be significant campaign finance reform," said Common Cause director Ben Wilcox. "It would be a serious attempt to deal with what we believe is the most common avenue for special interest contributions."

Lee's proposal (SB 716) will get its first airing today in the Senate Ethics & Elections Committee, chaired by Bill Posey, R-Rockledge. The six-member panel includes three Tampa Bay area Republicans, Dennis Jones of Treasure Island, Jim Sebesta of St. Petersburg and Nancy Argenziano of Dunnellon.

Lee, R-Valrico, is running for the Cabinet post of chief financial officer. His Republican primary opponent, Rep. Randy Johnson, R-Celebration, called on Lee months ago to sign a pledge to disassociate himself from 527 groups.

Lee refused to sign Johnson's pledge, but in January he said he was severing all ties with his 527 group, Floridians Uniting for a Stronger Tomorrow, which has $1.1-million on hand .

Johnson said the Senate's campaign reform bill is essentially the pledge he put forth in December.

"It's obvious that Tom Lee has had an epiphany," Johnson said. "But this bill is good for Florida."

Lee has said he crafted his proposal over the past three months in an effort to avoid criticism that he was trampling on the First Amendment rights of donors to support the candidates and causes of their choosing.

Democrats praised Lee's plan.

"This closes a loophole that needs closing, and it addresses a problem in a meaningful way," said Rep. Dan Gelber, D-Miami Beach, sponsor of a House bill that would ban the committees.

Lee should be able to get his plan through the Senate. But the House could be another story because Speaker Allan Bense, R-Panama City, views campaign donations as a form of expression protected by the First Amendment.

"When it comes to free speech, he (Bense) has a hard time treating people differently just because they're elected officials," said Bense's spokesman, Towson Fraser. "But he's not set in stone."

Times staff writer Joni James and researcher Angie Holan contributed to this report. Steve Bousquet can be reached at sbousquet@sptimes.com or 850 224-7263.

[Last modified April 6, 2006, 01:58:09]