DALLAS, Sept. 28 (UPI) -- The organizer of a television ad blitz calling for reform of Texas campaign-finance laws says big money plays too big a role at the state Capitol.
Fred Lewis, who founded the Campaigns for People five years ago, said Tuesday his group decided now was the opportune time to launch the ad campaign in the wake of last week's indictments by the Travis County grand jury in Austin.
Three associates of U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, and eight out-of-state corporations were indicted on charges that they illegally funneled corporate donations to Republican state House candidates two years ago. DeLay was not charged.
Lewis said he would have started the "Clean Up Texas Politics" campaign on television and the Internet this week regardless of what political party was involved in the allegations of wrongdoing. He contends the issue is bigger than partisan politics.
"It's a grass-roots campaign to get people of all political persuasion to change the system so that it is not so dominated by big money," he said. "A lot of people don't know how top heavy it is in Texas."
Seventy-six percent of the money in Texas state campaigns in 2002 came in contributions of $5,000 or greater, he said. One contributor gave $4 million, three people each gave $1 million and 15 gave more than $500,000 each.
Texas law bans corporate or union donations, except for administrative expenses, but there are loopholes, according to Lewis. There are no limits on individual donations, as there are in federal law, except for judicial races.
"We think it's important that the corporate and union prohibition is tightened, that we have some reasonable contribution limits, and that we have an effective ethics commission to enforce our laws," he said.
Lewis said the ban on corporate and union donations should be simplified and modernized. He said donations to any unconnected political action committee, one not established by the corporation or union, should be banned. There should also be a clear definition of administrative expenses, which are exempted from the ban.
Lewis also wants new restrictions on last-minute "sham issue ads" that don't directly urge the voter to oppose or support a candidate but clearly send a message one way or the other in the race. They are often financed by corporate or union money in Texas, he said.
Lewis also said the Texas Ethics Commission needs to have more authority in regulating how campaigns are financed. Currently it can only issue advisories with no binding authority on candidates or campaign officials.
Although Lewis said his group is non-partisan and non-profit, a Texas Republican Party spokeswoman in Austin accused his organization of being a thinly disguised front for the Democratic Party, according to The Dallas Morning News.
"We're not supporting Fred Lewis and what he's calling for. He's a partisan Democrat," said Alexis DeLee, a GOP spokeswoman in Austin.
DeLee said the Web site established by Lewis links to stories critical of GOP leaders but fails to include any questions about former Democratic House Speaker Pete Laney, who reimbursed himself $1.7 million for the use of a private plane for political purposes. Laney said the ethics commission was consulted and approved the reimbursement.
DeLee also questioned the financing for the campaign, but Lewis said the $20,000 ad buy was financed from the group's operating budget and individuals, including himself. He said his group has only a small office staff. Non-profit groups are also not required to reveal donors.
Lewis said he took offense at DeLee's comments because there are Republicans, Democrats and independents on the group's board, and he has been as critical of Democrats in the past over campaign-finance issues. Also, he said his group fought on behalf of an East Texas Republican in a campaign-finance dispute.
"We do not favor corporate money in elections," he said. "I don't care if it's in Republican primaries, Democratic primaries, or the general election."
The new campaign uses TV, the Internet, yard signs and traditional organizing to get Texans to check the Clean Up Texas Politics Web site, where they can get more information, organize and sign a petition that will be presented to state leaders.
The ads, featuring a cigar-smoking man writing a check for $50,000, will be carried on cable TV channels in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and Austin this week.
"What the big money boys call a contribution might be a year's worth of wages to you and me," the ad states, suggesting stronger campaign-finance laws are needed in Texas.
Most Texans believe special interests have too much say at the Texas statehouse and they want to limit contributions and close corporate and union loopholes, according to a poll of 600 Texans released by Campaigns for People in June.
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