wfn.org | Clergy Applaud Senate OK of McCain-Feingold

[carolf@ncccusa.org]

National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.
Contact: Alexis Rice or Evan Moffic,
Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, 202-387-2800
         Carol Fouke, National Council of Churches,
         212-870-2252

RELIGIOUS LEADERS FOR CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM
c/o National Council of Churches, 110 Maryland Ave., N.E., Washington, DC 
20002

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Edgar, Saperstein, Thornton: "Campaign finance reform is a matter of faith, 
ethics and fair government ... We urge that, following the signing into law 
of the McCain/Feingold bill, we redouble our effort to provide 'clean 
money' to campaigns through public financing and free T.V. time."

	WASHINGTON, April 2, 2001 - On behalf of the 16 Heads of National 
Religious Denominations and 270 Regional Clergy Leaders who make up the 
Religious Leaders for Campaign Finance Reform interfaith coalition, the 
Reverend Dr. Bob Edgar, Rabbi David Saperstein and Sister Kathy Thornton 
reacted to the Senate's approval of the McCain-Feingold legislation with 
the following statement:

"We congratulate the U.S. Senate for finally passing the McCain/Feingold 
Campaign Finance Reform Act, S. 27. This is a tremendous victory for the 
American people. This is a powerful victory for those who seek to rid 
government of the buying and selling of votes, the appearance (if not the 
reality) of bribery and corruption, the showing of favoritism and special 
access to the wealthy at the expense of the poor and those with only 
average means. We commend and thank Senators John McCain and Russ Feingold 
for their leadership, and the many members of our churches and synagogues 
who devoted long hours to making this victory possible.

"Campaign finance reform is a matter of faith, ethics and fair government. 
How can we expect morally sound public policy when the system itself 
ensures disproportionate influence for the most powerful? How can we, whose 
religious calling includes the imperative to speak for the widow and the 
orphan, for the poor and the children, accept an electoral process that 
structurally and systematically favors the wealthiest among us?  We applaud 
the U.S. Senate and urge the House of Representatives and President Bush to 
move quickly so that we can move beyond the morally unsound status quo.

"We know that ridding the electoral system of this most corrupting form of 
financing is only the first and most immediate step in seeking to move from 
a democracy of dollars to a democracy of people. We also know that money is 
necessary to run campaigns and inform voters of the views and strengths of 
candidates, and that new money must be provided to candidates to replace 
the ending of "soft money" and the many corrupting influences it brought. 
We urge that, following the signing into law of the McCain/Feingold bill, 
we redouble our efforts to provide "clean money" for campaigns through 
public financing and free T.V. time."

-end-

The Reverend Dr. Bob Edgar is General Secretary of the National Council of 
the Churches of Christ in the USA. Rabbi David Saperstein is Director of 
the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism. Sister Kathy Thornton is 
National Coordinator of NETWORK: A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby.