House GOP Drops Campaign Finance Measure [View All]

House Republicans abandoned a last-minute attempt to limit individual political donations to independent organizations Sunday, setting up for passage a military measure that had been stalled by the effort.

GOP leaders had sought to attach the campaign finance legislation to a final defense bill, a move aimed at hampering Democratic-aligned groups such as MoveOn.org that were a powerful voice in 2004 and could threaten GOP candidates next year.

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Republicans want to bar groups like MoveOn.org, which attacked President Bush's re-election drive in 2004, from being able to use unlimited amounts of money often donated by millionaires to buy advertising that mentions federal candidates.

GOP-leaning groups, like Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, which in 2004 attacked Democratic nominee John Kerry, also would be restricted by the legislation. But they raised far less money during the last election cycle than their Democratic counterparts.



http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-5489117,00.html