wfn.org | Religious Leaders on Campaign Finance Reform

[CAROL_FOUKE.parti@ecunet.org (CAROL FOUKE)]

National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.
Contact: NCC News, 212-870-2252
Internet: news@ncccusa.org

NCC2/26/98      FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

RELIGIOUS LEADERS EXPRESS DISAPPOINTMENT
AT FAILURE OF CAMPAIGN FINANCE SOFT MONEY REFORM
AND CALL FOR MORE COMPREHENSIVE REFORM

 WASHINGTON, D.C., Feb. 26 -- Leaders from 11
religious denominations and faith groups expressed
their profound disappointment at the failure of
campaign finance reform in the Senate today.  In
their statement they now call for much more
comprehensive reform.

 U.S. religious leaders - organized as
"Religious Leaders for Campaign Finance Reform" --
have worked hard for campaign finance reform.  In a
Feb. 13, 1997, "Open Letter to Congress," they
asserted, "Campaign finance reform is not simply a
political or public relations dilemma but a moral
matter.  The temptation to use money to buy unjust
favors is an ancient one.  The prophet Amos
thundered against those merchants who "sell the
righteous for silver and the needy for a pair of
shoes.and push the afflicted out of the way." (Amos
2:6-7 NRSV).

 Today's statement by religious leaders reads:

 "Congress has defeated partial and small steps
toward campaign finance reform.  The power and the
attraction of money has proven too great.  The
lesson to be learned is that only comprehensive
reform, which breaks the power of money in
elections, can restore the public trust that has
been eroded by the present corrupt system of
campaign finance.

 "We therefore call on religious people and all
citizens who want to restore integrity to our
elections to work for comprehensive reform at the
state level, putting in place public financing of
elections so that the public may reclaim their
politicians who are now too much under the control
of those currently paying to put politicians in
office.

 "For government to be just and fair, elections
must be fair.  The public must have confidence in
the integrity of just government.  The Senate has
badly eroded that trust, and the people must now
restore it."

 Joan Brown Campbell, General Secretary of the
National Council of Churches, pointed out the
advantages of more comprehensive reform: "Clean
money campaign reform addresses voters four major
concerns that:  (1) campaigns are too expensive;
(2) special interests have too much influence;  (3)
good candidates without money or connections to
special interests do not have a fair chance of
competing for office;  and (4) politicians spend too
much time raising campaign money instead of devoting
their full energies to the duties of public office."

 Kathy Thornton, Director of Network, a National
Catholic Social Justice Lobby, added, "We are deeply
troubled that Congress has once again stifled an
attempt to bring even minimal reform to the campaign
finance system. Those in power have refused to break
the lock of control by special interests."

 "We congratulate Maine and Vermont," said Dr.
Paul Sherry, President of the United Church of
Christ.  "These states have recently put into place
the clean money option of public financing of
campaigns."

 Rabbi David Saperstein, Director of the
Religious Action Center for the Union of American
Hebrew Congregations, commented, "Arizona,
Massachusetts, Missouri and New York City will vote
on the clean money proposal for campaign finance
reform this November.  Fourteen states will likely
have this on the ballot by 2000.  We urge churches
and synagogues to work for its passage."

 The two co-chairs of Religious Leaders for
Campaign Finance Reform, the Rev. Jay Lintner,
Director of the Washington Office for the United
Church of Christ and the Rev. Albert Pennybacker,
Washington Office Director for the National Council
of Churches, pledged to continue the effort at the
state level.

 Signing on to the statement were:

* Dr. Joan Brown Campbell, General Secretary,
National Council of Churches
* Dr. Paul Sherry, President, United Church of
Christ
* The Rev. Elenora Giddings Ivory, Director,
Washington Office, Presbyterian Church (USA)
* Anna Rhee, Director, Washington Office, Women's
Division, United Methodist Church
* Rabbi David Saperstein, Director, Religious Action
Center of Reform Judaism
* The Rev. David Radcliff, Director of Brethren
Witness, Church of the Brethren
* The Rev. William Chris Hobgood, Regional Minister
Capital Area, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
* Kathy Thornton, RSM, Director, Network:  A
National Catholic Social Justice Lobby
* The Rev. Meg Riley, Director, Washington Office,
Unitarian Universalist Association of Churches
* Joe Volk, Executive Director, Friends Committee on
National Legislation
* Jim Matlack, Director, Washington Office, American
Friends Service Committee
* The Rev. Albert Pennybacker, Co-Chair, Religious
Leaders for Campaign Finance Reform
* The Rev. Jay Lintner, Co-Chair, Religious Leaders
for Campaign Finance Reform

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