McCain Campaign Finance Reform Plan is Assailed

CONCORD, N.H. — Conservative lobbyists criticized Sen. John McCain’s latest campaign finance reform plan Monday, but a supporters suggested their attacks could end up boosting the Arizona Republican’s presidential campaign.

Americans for Tax Reform, Christian Coalition, National Rifle Assn. and others denounced the bill co-written by McCain and Sen. Russell Feingold (D-Wis.) as an attack on free speech.

The bill would ban “soft money,”unlimited donations that corporations, labor unions and some individuals give to political parties. It also would limit the ability of unions to use compulsory fees from nonmembers to further political efforts.

Carol Tobias, political director for the National Right to Life Committee, accused the sponsors of offering a watered-down version of their earlier bill.

“The ‘McCain Lite’ version of the bill introduced this week is simply a vehicle for amendments that contain the speech-suppressive provisions of the previous iterations of McCain-Feingold,” she said.