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"In
October, the National Republican Congressional Committee gave $250,000 to
the National Right to Life Committee, a leading antiabortion group, and
$500,000 to U.S. Family Network, a conservative lobby that works closely
with a former aide to House Majority Whip Tom DeLay (R-Tex.)" (Juliet
Eilperin, The Washington Post, December 15, 1999).
"Other Republican groups have made similar contributions in
the past. But the timing of the congressional committee's donations so far
in advance of next year's elections is unusual and reflects what GOP officials
described as an effort to energize the party's conservative base" (Juliet
Eilperin, The Washington Post, December 15, 1999).
"Republican officials acknowledge that the new money for conservative
groups is aimed at filling a void left by Pat Robertson's Christian Coalition,
which has been an integral part of the GOPs grassroots operation, distributing
tens of millions of voter guides to churches the weekend before elections"
(Juliet Eilperin, The Washington Post, December 15, 1999).
"While it prevailed in September in a costly lawsuit against
the Federal Election Commission, the group remains mired in debt and is
planning to cut staff as part of an upcoming move from Chesapeake, Va.,
to the D.C. area. It has lost almost every top official within the past
year, including President Don Hodel, Director of National Operations Chuck
Cunningham and Vice President for Government Relations Randy Tate"
(Juliet Eilperin, The Washington Post, December 15, 1999).
"'We've been frustrated and disappointed and really sorry that
our conservative base has not been energized in the past two cycles to support
our candidates. Maybe we need to do something on our end to enhance their
participation,' Mattoon said, adding that while the Christian Coalition
is likely to distribute voter guides, it may not be as active as it has
been. 'There's going to be a need to fill a vacuum here. There is a need
to build a coalition to elect Republican candidates'" (Juliet Eilperin,
The Washington Post, December 15, 1999).
"Ed Buckharn, a former DeLay chief of staff, was instrumental
in obtaining the NRCC's donation to U.S. Family Network, which was first
reported in the newspaper Roll Call last week. Mattoon said that while NRCC
officials were initially unfamiliar with U.S. Family Network, they supported
it based on Buckham's track record" (Juliet Eilperin, The Washington
Post, December 15, 1999).
"Buckham, a consultant to the group, said U.S. Family Network
will encourage voters to lobby on such issues as the use of fetal tissue,
tax cuts and abortion. He added that the group has not decided whether to
conduct a voter registration drive but that it will inform voters about
how Congress is voting on issues affecting families" (Juliet Eilperin,
The Washington Post, December 15, 1999).
"National Right to Life President David O'Steen, whose group
has received money from the Republican National Committee in the past, said
the new donation 'will be used for the general pro-life activities of the
National Right to Life Committee. It will not be used to encourage anyone
to vote for or against any candidate'" (Juliet Eilperin, The Washington
Post, December 15, 1999).
"Over the past year, Buckham and DeLay have emphasized the importance
of enlisting more religious conservatives in the GOP's battle to retain
control of the House. '[Only] 20 percent of congregations are registered
to vote. That's outrageous,' DeLay said in an interview this year. 'If you
just get to a church in your district, you're going to win. All that takes
money, by the way'" (Juliet Eilperin, The Washington Post, December
15, 1999).
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