Austin:  An Austin-based public interest group that tracks money in Texas politics criticized Governor George W. Bush today for his preliminary decision to ignore the voluntary presidential campaign spending limits adopted in the wake of the Watergate scandal.

"Governor Bush's decision to blow the lid off the presidential spending limits will only deepen voter cynicism. Unlike Ross Perot or Steve Forbes, who bankrolled their own campaigns, George Bush will rely on millions of dollars in special-interest money to fund his television blitz of the key primary states," said Texans for Public Justice (TPJ) Director Craig McDonald. "Bush is no conservative when it comes to stockpiling campaign cash, and he has demonstrated little compassion for political reform."

TPJ warned that Bush's decision to ignore the 25-year-old spending limits will escalate the arms race in political spending even further, empowering special-interest groups and disenfranchising average voters. Americans want more -- not fewer -- limits on political spending and special-interest politics.

Governor Bush's record on campaign reform is dismal. Consider the fact that:

• Bush relied on a network of fat cats and special interest PACs to fill his gubernatorial war chest with $25 million. In Texas, Bush took checks of $50,000 and up from 56 tycoons and high-rolling corporate PACs in his most recent election (see attached list).
• Bush's mega-donors include some of Texas' wealthiest business elites: energy barons, toxic polluters, tobacco lobbyists and corporate lawyers.
• More than 40%, or $9 million, of Bush's 1998 Texas war chest came in checks of $10,000 or larger. This is hardly the profile of a grassroots, peoples’ candidate.
• Bush has failed to support Texas campaign reform bills that would put reasonable limits on contributions to candidates for state offices (Texas currently imposes no limits).
• Bush has opposed efforts to reform Texas' scandalous judicial-selection process, which allows Texas Supreme Court candidates to raise millions of dollars from the very lawyers and parties who are litigating cases in their courtrooms.

Bush is assembling a network of high-rolling "pioneers," who pledge to bring in a minimum of $100,000 each. Unlike contributions to Bush's Texas races, which are unlimited, individual contributions to his presidential effort cannot exceed $1,000. Bush's first federal disclosure, due April 15, is expected to report that he raised $7 million in March.

"If Bush succeeds in buying a primary victory with millions of dollars from special-interests, you can bet the soft-money coffers of the Republican party will explode with general election contributions from his corporate cronies," said McDonald.  "A Bush victory may lead to bunk beds in the Lincoln Bedroom to accommodate all of Bush's pioneers."

The Federal Election Commission has yet to calculate the official spending limits for year-2000 presidential primary candidates, though a private firm has estimated that they will be $40.2 million. Candidates agreeing to the voluntary spending limits are also eligible for federal matching funds for contributions of $250 or less. The estimated total amount of possible matching funds for the 2000 primary elections is $16.75 million.
 

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