Parties war over campaign bill

CARSON CITY -- A bill that makes the biggest changes in election campaign law in two decades has passed the state Senate, but the bitterness lingers on between Republican and Democratic leaders.

After Wednesday's passage of Senate Bill 215, Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus, D-Las Vegas, accused the Republican leadership of reaching "an all-time low."

"The rules can be abused to thwart the democratic process," she said.

Majority Leader Bill Raggio, R-Reno, shot back that Titus was out of order by "impugning the motives" of others in the Senate, and he threatened to bring sanctions against her if she continued.

The bill passed 20-1 and was sent to the Assembly.

The split between Senate Republicans and Democrats came over a section that allows the state Ethics Commission to decide on complaints of candidates lying about their opponents.

Titus offered an amendment to delete the new role for the Ethics Commission. But before debate could start, Raggio and fellow Republicans sank the option by a 12-9 vote.

Raggio, saying the issue had been debated for two days, said this was not an attempt to stifle the minority but an effort to "thwart" the majority.

At the same time, Titus and fellow Democrats introduced Senate Bill 389 that would allow the state attorney general's office to sue if a candidate feels his record has been distorted by his opponent.

Democrats had complained that the Ethics Commission plan is an effort by Raggio to eventually defeat the bill. They say that if it is enacted, it won't work. But Raggio said he is "committed to serious campaign reform."

"It is not an attempt to kill the bill," he said.

The controversial section permits a candidate, who feels an opponent has distorted the record, to file a complaint with the Ethics Commission. The commission would have 15 days to hold a hearing. The person accused would be given notice and have two days to file a reply.

If the commission found the statements were false and were made in "reckless disregard" for the truth, a fine of up to $10,000 could be levied. If the violation occurred within 10 days of the election, the fine could be as high as $30,000.

The commission, before determining if there is malice or "reckless disregard," could issue a preliminary finding that the statements were lies.

Sen. Bill O'Donnell, R-Las Vegas, said he is "perplexed" by the Democratic efforts to do away with what he called a "truth squad."

But Sen. Ray Shaffer, D-North Las Vegas, said there have been lies against him in every campaign in his 13 years in office. He said the offender would have a "slush fund to pay for lying."

"Anything short of criminal penalties will not be a deterrent," Shaffer argued.

Sen. Mark James, R-Las Vegas, said there's nothing now to stop mudslinging in campaigns. "Are we supposed to leave the law as it is now?" he asked.

Sen. Ernie Adler, D-Carson City, insisting the "negative campaigning" issue be dealt with in a separate bill, said the Ethics Commission process will not work.

A flood of complaints will be filed, Adler said, and the Ethics Commission will not have time to give them careful consideration.

But Adler praised part of the bill that "stops the flow of soft money into the campaign." The bill requires political parties and political caucuses to reveal where they get their money and to whom they donate it.

It's not unusual, he said, to see $30,000 to $40,000 donated to political campaigns from unknown sources.

The bill also seeks to end "dirty tricks" played by one candidate on another. A candidate or supporters could not hire an individual to infiltrate an opponent's campaign staff to "impede the success" of the campaign.

The Ethics Commission would be able to impose a fine of $10,000 on those who try to sabotage an opponent's campaign.

The lone "no" vote on the bill was cast by Sen. Joe Neal, D-Las Vegas, who argued that this "is not campaign reform. This is campaign deform." He said candidates who are victims of lies will not "be able to have proper redress" and will allow the mudslinging to continue.

The downfall of the bill, he said, is the role of the Ethics Commission. He accused the Republican majority of "stifling the minority" when it refused to consider the Democrats' amendment.

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