Ruling Could Curb Use of PACs in Federal Campaigns

The Federal Election Commission Thursday approved a ruling that could limit the use of political action committees as a way to circumvent the federal campaign financing restrictions on prospective presidential candidates.

The ruling sharply restricts or prohibits the Republican Majority Fund, a PAC set up by former Tennessee Sen. Howard H. Baker Jr. to support other GOP candidates, from raising and spending money under circumstances that could be construed as helping Baker explore the possibility of running for President in 1988.

The activities that could be affected include direct-mail fund raising, appearances at Republican events and the establishment of committees of supporters in several states.

Baker’s supporters had complained that other Republican contenders have used similar, multi-candidate PACs to help lay the groundwork for their presidential candidacies without charging these expenses off against the limits imposed by federal law. The Republican Majority Fund had requested an advisory opinion from the FEC.

Basis for Complaints

The ruling could serve as a basis for Baker’s organization to file complaints against multi-candidate PACs set up by Vice President George Bush, New York Rep. Jack Kemp and Kansas Sen. Bob Dole, all 1988 GOP prospects.

James Cannon, vice chairman of Baker’s PAC, said he did not intend to file a complaint but declared the commission opinion to represent “a good victory.”

But Jan Baran, attorney for Bush’s PAC, the Fund for America’s Future, pointed out that the direct effect of the FEC’s opinion was limited to the circumstances outlined in the request from Baker’s PAC.

“It doesn’t have any impact on us directly,” Baran said. He pointed out that the Fund for America’s Future has filed its own request for an advisory opinion from the commission to clarify how the law applied to the fund’s activities.