Press group worries about campaign law’s side effect

Friday, June 6, 1997 | 5:48 a.m.

Kent Lauer, director of the Nevada Press Association, told the Assembly Elections Committee on Thursday that the campaign finance reform law signed by Gov. Bob Miller wasn't meant to allow candidates to go after individuals.

"The intent was to have the provisions apply to candidates and people connected with their campaigns, not to individuals who may speak in public about a campaign or write a letter to the editor," Lauer said after the hearing.

But he said his examination of the law shows a flaw that allows its disciplinary provision to apply to everyone, even a person who writes a letter to the editor.

He asked the committee to clear up the law by amending AB553, a bill drawn up by Assemblywoman Chris Giunchigliani, D-Las Vegas, as a trailer bill to remove the Ethics Commission provisions.

The new campaign reform law sets up the Ethics Commission as the arbiter of truth in campaigns. It has authority to fine candidates who maliciously lie in campaigns as much as $30,000. Republican senators sought the Ethics Commission provision to end negative campaigning.

Giunchigliani supported the bill, but publicly objected to the Ethics Commission provisions. Instead, she and other Democrats want the secretary of state's office to investigate campaign complaints.

While not overly optimistic about removing the Ethics Commission provisions, Giunchigliani said Lauer had a valid point that the law could be used by candidates to retaliate against citizens.

She fears the new law will promote additional negative campaigning.

Every legislator will file a complaint with the Ethics Commission against an opponent with the hope of gaining media attention, she said.

"It will make a mockery of the law," Giunchigliani said. "We don't want an additional arm for negative campaigning."

She said complaints might be kept confidential until the Ethics Commission evaluates whether they have merit.