McCollum: Opponent a hypocrite

Senate candidates spar over a 1986 resolution on Nelson Mandela.

By SHELBY OPPEL

© St. Petersburg Times, published August 3, 2000

TALLAHASSEE -- Attempting to paint Democrat Bill Nelson as a hypocrite, U.S. Rep. Bill McCollum lashed out Wednesday at comments made this week by President Clinton.

McCollum's remarks came after the Miami Herald reported Wednesday that Clinton criticized Republican vice presidential candidate Dick Cheney for voting against a resolution urging freedom for South African leader Nelson Mandela in 1986. Cheney served in the House of Representatives at the time.

But Nelson and McCollum, both congressmen at the time and now opponents in a U.S. Senate race, voted against the same resolution.

A news release put out by McCollum's campaign Wednesday called Nelson a hypocrite because he "stood silently by as Clinton blasted Bill McCollum, for a vote that Nelson himself cast as well."

Clinton's remarks came at a fundraiser for Nelson in Palm Beach. Clinton didn't mention McCollum; he criticized Cheney. Still, the implication was clear, said Shannon Gravitte, a spokeswoman for McCollum, R-Longwood.

"You hear that a lot: "We never mentioned his name.' The implication was clear. (Clinton) was down campaigning against Bill McCollum," Gravitte said.

Nelson's campaign spokesman, Dan McLaughlin, said Nelson voted against the Mandela resolution because it also would have granted legitimacy to the African National Congress. Nelson believed that group had been infiltrated by Communists and had links to terrorist organizations, McLaughlin said.

"Bill was not on principle going to vote for something that would've sent the signal that the United States was going to tolerate a Communist state in South Africa," McLaughlin said.

A review of Nelson's voting record shows he voted to ban new commercial bank loans to South Africa in 1984, to impose economic sanctions in 1985 and to override President Reagan's veto of those sanctions in 1986.

McCollum voted against the ban on loans, against sanctions and in support of Reagan's veto.

McCollum's news release also chided Nelson for not releasing his tax returns. Nelson, however, has released his past 13 tax returns to the St. Petersburg Times, in response to a request.

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