Wednesday, May 17, 2000 - Lott Asks Cos. To Donate to Abraham
By NEDRA PICKLER, Associated Press WriterWASHINGTON (AP) - Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott has urged high-tech corporations to donate to a privately funded group running ads supporting Michigan Sen. Spencer Abraham and his legislation to allow more skilled foreign workers into the United States.
As long as the ads do not specifically urge a vote for Abraham, the organization running the commercials, Americans for Job Security, does not have to identify its contributors and can accept funds from corporations barred by law from donating to federal candidates.
Lott, R-Miss., denied any wrongdoing, but Democrats called his actions ``outrageously unethical.''
The ads are running in response to television commercials running in Michigan that depict Abraham as willing to give American jobs to low-paid foreign workers. Those ads have been funded by the Federation for American Immigration Reform, an organization Abraham has called ``a hate group.''
According to an exchange of e-mails obtained by The Associated Press and other news organizations, some lobbyists appeared to believe the donations were connected to passage of legislation allowing 297,000 more skilled foreigners into the United States over the next three years. High-tech companies are strong supporters of the legislation.
``I have heard that regardless of our 'limitations,' we need to do something for Abraham if we want to see something moved in the Senate,'' wrote a lobbyist for Intel Corp. (NasdaqNM:INTC - news)
Jim Jordan, political director of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, called Lott's actions ``outrageously unethical.''
``This certainly is not business as usual in the United States Senate,'' said he said. ``This is extortion and nothing short of that.''
Lott spokesman John Czwartacki denied that the donations were connected to the legislation.
``That's an out and out falsehood,'' Czwartacki said. ``Senator Lott was committed to this bill for some time.''
Czwartacki said there was nothing wrong with Lott's involvement in fund raising. He said the meeting was held at the National Republican Senatorial Committee - not Lott's taxpayer-supported office - and compared the solicitation to fund raising for a charity.
``This is 100 percent legal to letter and spirit,'' he said.
Scott Harshbarger, president of the advocacy group Common Cause, said the law was not intended to allow Senate leaders to raise money for issue ads run by outside groups.
``It leads to a breakdown in the right of the public to know who's funding these campaigns,'' said Harshbarger, whose group supports overhauling campaign finance laws. ``It shows the loopholes are swallowing the law.''
According to an e-mail from one industry lobbyist, about 20-25 high-tech industries were represented at a meeting called by Lott in early April.
``We were asked for our support (no surprise),'' the e-mail said. ``The good news for us is that most of the companies in the room are going to contribute - either because of Spence or because of Lott.''
Abraham spokesman Joe Davis said the senator and his staff were not involved.
``There's no quid pro quo here,'' he said. ``There's no coordination with any of these groups. We haven't told them they have to do that to get this bill passed.''
Americans for Job Security President Michael Dubke also denied any connection.
``We've never sat down with Trent Lott to discuss any ad campaign,'' he said. ``There is no coordination.''
He said he didn't know whether the group received more contributions as a result of Lott's meeting.
Carol Butler, campaign manager for Abraham's Democratic opponent, Rep. Debbie Stabenow, said it would be appropriate for the Federal Election Commission or the Senate Ethics Committee to investigate the allegations.
