Dole Asks FEC to Look Into Contribution

Senate Republican Leader Bob Dole said Friday he knew nothing of allegations in a Kansas City Star report that his 1986 Senate campaign received what may have been illegal contributions.

“We can’t keep track of every contribution, so we’ve asked the FEC to take a look at it,” Dole said.

The Star quoted former executives of a now bankrupt company, Birdview Satellite Communications Inc., as saying they were encouraged or ordered to contribute to his campaign and then were reimbursed by the company.

Dole campaign officials have said they had no knowledge of improper contributions.

Federal Election Commission spokeswoman Karen Finucan said in Washington the agency had received no request for a review from Dole as of Friday. However, she said that if the senator made such a request in writing the FEC staff would look into his records.

Dole, a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, made his comments in answer to reporters’ questions while campaigning.

In a speech in Nashua, the Kansas senator called for a tough federal fiscal policy that could include a one-year freeze on spending as a way to cut the budget deficit by billions of dollars.

“All of us are talking about the No. 1 problem facing the country--the deficit,” Dole said referring to himself and rival candidates in a speech to a real estate group.

“But there’s only one of us, only one us, who is laying out any real solutions.”

Dole said that on taking office he would impose the freeze in spending “and that means everything. Everything except programs that affect the neediest in society and must be protected.”