A Times Editorial

Party favors

Corporations are taking advantage of loopholes that allow them to provide lavish entertainment

© St. Petersburg Times, published August 3, 2000

Republican delegates in Philadelphia have kept the "party" in the party convention. Unfortunately, many of their lavish fetes have violated the spirit, if not the letter, of public ethics and campaign finance laws.

As the New York Times reported this week, corporations have contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to wine and dine lawmakers and lobbyists, many of whom control how big businesses are regulated. (Later this month, Democrats will wallow in the excesses of their own corporate-subsidized blowout.) If GOP leaders truly want to show America a new face, they should take the lead in curbing this covert infiltration of big money.

Under other circumstances, shelling out upwards of half a million dollars to entertain leaders of either party would be illegal. But campaign finance laws do not require politicians to report events held in their honor or on their behalf. So behind a cloud of cigar smoke, corporations have found a loophole to wield influence over members of Congress.

At first glance, these corporate-sponsored bashes look like benign shows of hospitality with no political strings, but a closer look at who is courting whom makes the businesses' ulterior motives clear. The New York Times article points out that Time Warner, Walt Disney, Universal Studios and Viacom threw a party for U.S. Rep. Mark Foley, R-West Palm Beach, who just happens to be chairman of the House Entertainment Industry Task Force. And Reps. Michael Oxley, R-Ohio, and W.J. Tauzin, R-La., used funds from companies they hope to regulate to host a party for lobbyists and congressional colleagues as the two men vie for the chair of the House Commerce Committee.

What's more, an article in Wednesday's St. Petersburg Times reported top GOP donors as saying they were encouraged by party officials to write several smaller checks rather than one large one, making it harder to trace their soft money gifts. In return, the party has spared no expense to entertain these top-tier contributors known as Republican Regents.

Of course, these flings are held well outside of camera range, but convention viewers should realize that there is more to the Philadelphia and Los Angeles pow-wows than confetti and rousing speeches. Leaders of both parties have gotten much too comfortable with such high-toned influence peddling. They should realize that conventions should be a time to rally the party faithful and sway fence-straddling voters, not an opportunity to skirt campaign finance regulations.

© St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved.