Molly Ivins September 21

AUSTIN — A delightful week at the campaign finance reform shop. The boys have all been horrified to learn that there's gambling in the back room at Rick's Cafe. The magic words were "buying access."

Yes, by George, thanks to the tireless efforts of the boys (and one girl) on Sen. Fred Thompson's peerless, fearless investigative committee, we now have incontrovertible evidence that big campaign contributors are BUYING ACCESS to decision-makers in Washington. The boys were all shocked. Me, too. I said, "Well, cut off my legs and call me Shorty!"

I have a new favorite on the committee: Sen. Don Nickles of Oklahoma, an absolute master of hypocritical indignation. Nominate this man for an Oscar. This is the same Nickles who headed the National Republican Senatorial Committee in 1990, gathering many, many large contributions by ... well, let's face it, by selling access.

In the Republican Party, big donors become members of something called the Inner Circle, and here is a letter that Nickles wrote to the Inner Circle:

"It's one of the most historic homes in America. And because it's also the home of one of America's most famous families, few individuals decline an invitation to attend an event there. That's why I'm writing you today.

"Vice President and Mrs. Dan Quayle have graciously invited the members of the Inner Circle to join them for a reception on the lawn of the Vice President's residence during the Inner Circle's Fall Briefing. ... Truly, no other organization offers you the opportunity to meet the Vice President and his wife at their home, to participate in closed-door briefings with national and international figures, and then top the evening off by joining a Senator, Cabinet member or U.S. Senate candidate for a private dinner."

In another letter to members of the Republican Senatorial Trust ($10,000 contributors), Nickles used a reception at the White House as the big draw, promising that "members have a direct impact on our nation's most pressing policy debates."

Sen. Mitch McConnell, the leading opponent of campaign finance reform and now chairman of the same Republican Senatorial Committee, wrote in a letter sent to Roger Tamraz this year:

"You'll be invited twice a year to attend high-level Washington policy briefings, receptions and special dinners with my Republican Senate colleagues as well as the top leaders of our Republican Party. These are names you know well ... Senator Lott and the entire leadership of Senate Chairmen and Subcommittee Chairmen who are driving the national Republican agenda.

... By signing on today, you will also be able to join in our Fall Briefing and attend one of our small dinners hosted by Republican Senators and dignitaries. Over the years, these intimate gatherings have become the hallmark events of our Inner Circle membership."

This spring, there was a three-day gathering for big Republican donors at a swank resort in Florida so they could all discuss their legislative concerns with Trent Lott, Newt Gingrich, etc. When questioned about it at the time, Lott replied, "It's the American way." Honest, that's what he said.

But now, it's not the American way — it's a matter of shock and horror to those Victorian virgins on Thompson's committee to think that such was going on right there in our nation's capital. They almost swooned away when Tamraz got up and said that of course he paid for access. Our Boys had never heard of such a thing in all their born days.

The good news is, we've got 'em moving, fellow citizens. We have got this herd rounded up and headed out.

The Republicans did a poll of their own voters and learned that campaign finance reform was No. 4 on their list of concerns. And lo, Sen. American Way Lott himself has decided that campaign finance reform will come to a vote on the Senate floor this very year. This is after years of all the They-Sayers, the mavens of the Washington press corps, the insiders, the shrewd dealers saying it would never happen.

And you did it. You're the ones. Don't think for a minute that the politicians would have done this on their own. The American people — their anger, their disgust with the system — produced what was unthinkable in Washington just a few months ago. Way to go, people!

Our problem is to keep the bonfire that's burning under the rear ends of our politicians building even higher because all they're prepared to do is some petty, halfway campaign finance reform. This is going to get complicated, but we have to stay with it. Even some longtime supporters of campaign finance reform are willing to sell out the good for the possible at this point. The McCain-Feingold bill has already been watered down, and McCain, a good man, is apparently willing to see it diluted further just to get a deal. Wrong.

Now is not the time to take what we can get. Now is the time to fix the whole system.

The best solution is public campaign financing. We, all of us, pay for elections through the same system we've been using for presidential elections for 20 years now, and no special-interest money is allowed. That way, when we elect politicians, they got no one to dance with but us because we brung 'em there — us and nobody else.

Failing that, the minimum we accept is no PAC money, no soft money, strict limits on spending and contributions, and free television time (the one thing that most drives campaign costs) for debates. We settle for nothing less.

One more cycle under this rotten system, and it's come the revolution.

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Molly Ivins is a columnist for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

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