Gephardt to fight GOP plan

Larry Henry

Friday, March 20, 1998 | 9:55 a.m.

House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt on Thursday vowed to fight a Republican plan that he says restricts union participation in political campaigns.

"They are trying to take away the voice of labor," Gephardt, D-Mo., said at a press conference at Bally's hotel-casino. He spoke to reporters after addressing a closed session of the AFL-CIO executive council.

Gephardt said he'll raise money to defeat GOP initiative petitions in several states, including California and Nevada.

If Republicans are able to gather enough voter signatures, a question to amend the Nevada Constitution would be placed on the November ballot.

The proposed amendment would require union members to sign a consent form before a portion of their dues can go toward political activity.

Gephardt said opponents will fight the petitions with speeches from the House floor in the coming weeks and by spending money on advertising.

"This is wrong, it's immoral, it should not be," he said. "I will raise money to beat these wrong-headed and ill-advised referendi."

Chuck Muth, director of the Nevada Republican Liberty Caucus, said if the ballot question passes to amend the state constitution "unions would have to raise money though voluntary contributions, not coercion."

"What's immoral is forcing a member against his will to contribute to a campaign he doesn't believe in," Muth said.

In the 1996 national election, the AFL-CIO raised more than $30 million in workers' dues to defeat congressional Republicans. The effort chipped away at the GOP lead in the House, where Republicans now hold a 227-204 advantage.

If Democrats take the House in 1998, Gephardt likely would be the Democratic choice to replace Rep. Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., as speaker.

Gephardt said Republicans are trying to keep Democrats from winning control of the House by stopping a "reinvigorated" labor movement.

"They didn't like labor being a voice in '96, and they're trying to take it away," Gephardt said.

He added, "I'm confident about winning the House back in '98."

Gephardt also criticized the language Republicans are using to describe the initiative petitions.

In many states, the effort is called the Paycheck Protection Act. In Nevada, it's the Workers Rights Initiative.

Gephardt said GOP terms are as misleading as the expression "peace keeper missile."

He said he prefers the phrase "worker silencing provision."