Wednesday, March 19, 2003
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Gibbons halts fund raising

Nevada Republican sets aside campaign activities on eve of war

WASHINGTON -- Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., said Tuesday he is setting aside campaign activities while the nation embarks on war, putting a halt to aggressive fund raising he had planned while weighing a run for U.S. Senate next year.

Campaign finance analysts said Gibbons appeared to be the first federal lawmaker to announce a hold on fund-raising, but would probably not be the last.

"It's to be expected that many politicians will elect to stop fund-raising for fear the practice would appear unseemly while we're in conflict," said Steve Weiss, communications director for the Center for Responsive Politics.

Gibbons, a Persian Gulf veteran, said he was suspending all fund-raising events "until further notice," leaving open the possibility he might resume campaigning if the war against Iraq becomes a protracted affair.

But for now, he said, "I don't want to be distracted. At this time in the initial phases of this war we need to be doing everything we can do and not be distracted by other issues like campaigning."

Gibbons, who sits on the Armed Services and Intelligence committees, put at least three upcoming events on hold that were expected to net about $100,000 total, including a reception that was set for Friday at the Jones Vargas law firm in Las Vegas, chief of staff Robert Uithoven said.

A March 26 dinner in Washington hosted by the National Mining Association also was put off as well as a lobbyist breakfast that was planned to take place at the Capitol Hill Club.

Planning for an April event with other Western Republicans that was to be held in Arizona or Nevada also was suspended, Uithoven said.

Gibbons will still accept donations, "but he's not going to be making calls and soliciting," Uithoven said. A fund-raising letter aimed at small donors has been set aside for now, he added.

Gibbons was stepping up his political activity while weighing a challenge to Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., including hiring a Washington fund-raiser for the first time. Gibbons has said he will announce a decision this summer.

Tony Raymond, co-founder of Political Money Line, a campaign finance monitor, speculated Gibbons might be "throwing a gauntlet to Reid not to raise money during this time."

"That's absolutely not my intention," Gibbons said. "I'm not telling others how to run their campaigns. I'm just doing what I believe is right for this country."

"At this point, Senator Reid has not changed his work schedule," spokeswoman Tessa Hafen said. "He remains hopeful that the president's imminent use of force will result in speedy resolve to the crisis in the Middle East."

On Tuesday night, House Republicans raised about $5 million at a fund-raising gala. Gibbons said he supported the decision to go forward with the event on the possible eve of war because it had been planned far in advance.

Gibbons said he had planned to attend the event but instead was headed home to sleep after flying all the night before from Chile.

Senate Republicans and House Democrats also have major fund-raisers scheduled for next week, with officials saying there were no immediate plans to cancel.

Rep. Jon Porter, R-Nev., has fund-raisers scheduled in coming weeks but has not decided whether to hold them or call them off. "I can assure you I'm not focused on a campaign right now. I'm just taking it a day at a time," he said.

Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., and Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., haven't thought yet about the matter, spokesmen said.

Following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Ensign called off a fund-raising golf tournament in Las Vegas while Gibbons declined invitations to attend political events for several months.