wfn.org | Campaign Spending by Moderator Candidates Questioned Procedures

[PCUSA NEWS <pcusa.news@ecunet.org>]

GA99015 
19-June-1999 
 
 
                    Campaign Spending by Moderator 
 Candidates Questioned Procedures Outlining Expenditures to be Rewritten 
 
 
FORT WORTH- The manner in which candidates for General Assembly Moderator 
submit campaign expenses came under scrutiny Saturday during a meeting of 
the Committee on Bills and Overtures, the first meeting of a body during 
the 211th General Assembly. 
    Concerns surfaced here over whether some candidates were within the 
$500 limit permitted for campaign spending since expenditures were not 
submitted in a uniformed format, causing confusion over the amount spent in 
some areas. 
    The Office of the General Assembly does not reimburse candidates for 
campaign expenses, but does assume the cost associated with printing and 
distributing materials submitted for information packets. The $500 ceiling 
does not include travel and meeting expenses. Bills and Overtures is 
responsible for the General Assembly business docket and may recommend 
changes to it or limits on debates. 
   While no wrongdoing was alleged,  action was initially approved by the 
committee requiring the four candidates, Frank Diaz, Charles Kim, Walter 
Ungerer and Freda Gardner, to resubmit a list of expenses as well as travel 
and meeting expenditures related to their candidacies. 
   Although the action was later rescinded, it prompted the candidates, who 
were either present or represented at the meeting, to defend their campaign 
spending and the integrity of the race. 
   "The race for moderator, I think, has been an open and honest one," said 
Ungerer, pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Kokomo, Ind. "I'll give you 
full disclosure." 
   Ungerer said he believes that $500 was not nearly enough to conduct a 
race and suggested the amount be increased after years at the same level. 
   Barbara Chaapel, a member of Gardner's campaign staff, was present and 
said the retired Princeton Theological Seminary professor did not submit a 
travel quote since she did not go anywhere to campaign. She offered to 
produce expenses for requested expenditures on the spot. 
   Committee member James Baker of New Jersey said he was troubled by the 
fact that no standard format was in place for submitting campaign spending 
by moderator candidates, which he said would help eliminate confusion in 
determining the amount candidates spent on each item. 
   Although the committee approved a motion to arrange the campaign figures 
in a uniformed fashion before referring them to the General Assembly on 
Saturday, it does not require candidates to do so in the future. Members 
did, however, pass action calling for a section of the procedures outlining 
moderator campaign spending to be rewritten. No specifics for overhauling 
the language were included in the motion. 
   In other business, the Committee on Bills and Overtures also: 
committees. When the assembly is ready to elect persons to fill committee 
vacancies, one speech will be allowed supporting the nomination of each 
nominee for the challenged position. Speeches shall not exceed three 
minutes in length and no other speeches seconding the nomination of any 
nominee will be permitted. 
    "Our aim is to provide fairness and efficiency," said Todd Jones of 
Pittsburgh, who is serving as moderator of the committee. 
as proposed. 
 
Evan Silverstein 

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