Keyes lends moral, financial aid to Boggs McDonald

Erin Neff

Friday, Sept. 27, 2002 | 9:52 a.m.

Former presidential candidate Alan Keyes brought his conservative message to Las Vegas on Thursday to stump for fellow black Republican Lynette Boggs McDonald.

But it was the $200,000 he helped send to Boggs McDonald's congressional bid that raised more questions than his talk of strengthening the country's moral fabric one candidate at a time.

Keyes' Black America's Political Action Committee (BAMPAC) helped steer $200,000 in $10 to $10,000 donations to Boggs McDonald's bid to unseat Democratic Rep. Shelley Berkley in Nevada's 1st Congressional District.

"We make sure that people around the country know these folks who share in the message of strength to the community," Keyes said before a fund-raiser at the Las Vegas Country Club. "We simply facilitate the candidate's access."

Boggs McDonald said that despite BAMPAC's donations accounting for one-fourth of her total war chest, she sees nothing wrong with having so much money from BAMPAC.

"It shows that I have national appeal that people around the United States who without ever meeting me got to read my bio and would open up their checkbook," Boggs McDonald said. "I was humbled to receive that support from around the country."

Keyes helps support conservative candidates and pro-life organizations with money from his PAC, but said he was unaware Thursday how much money his PAC has given this election cycle.

Both Keyes and Boggs McDonald dismissed talk of Keyes' past support for Yucca Mountain and the contributions, instead focusing on choice in education, the proposed war against Iraq and economics.

Keyes, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 1996 and 2000, had at one time sought to repeal the income tax.

Boggs McDonald said she has "always been supportive of a better, flatter tax" and, if elected, would consider instituting a national sales tax as another alternative.

Keyes, who is the former host of the nationwide cable show "Alan Keyes Making Sense," said it was Boggs McDonald's independent ideas that won her his support.

"I don't practice racial politics," Keyes said. "Black America's PAC supports those candidates that are taking stands.

"There are things that transcend race," he added.

Keyes said he cannot understand media's fascination with a possible war on Iraq.

"Have they forgotten that we have been at war," Keyes said. "We need to wake up. Nothing has changed about that."

Keyes said that if Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein is ignored while Americans fuss over President Bush's attempts to build a case against Hussein, the consequences could be awful.

"Do people in Las Vegas want him to wait until they're blown up before we act?" Keyes asked. "If facts warrant, the president has an obligation to take him out."