1988 Democratic National Convention : GOP Group Asks FEC to Probe Wright’s Use of Book Royalties

In an apparent effort to embarrass House Speaker Jim Wright (D-Tex.) on the opening day of the Democratic National Convention, a Republican group Monday petitioned the Federal Election Commission to investigate allegations that the Speaker authored a 117-page book as a subterfuge to convert campaign funds to his own use.

The complaint, filed by Citizens for Reagan, also named House Majority Whip Tony Coelho (D-Merced), the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and two Texas businessmen as co-conspirators in violating the election laws.

Politically Motivated, Wright Charges

In response, Wright charged that the complaint, filed only hours before he was elected as chairman of the Democratic National Convention, was politically motivated. He noted that the charges already are being investigated by the House Committee on Official Standards of Conduct in response to a complaint filed by Republicans.

“Obviously, there are people in the Republican Party who are trying their best to spread slime and mud wherever they can,” Wright said. “People see through it. The public sees it for what it is--a baseless political move.”

In the FEC complaint, Wright was accused of publishing a 117-page memoir, “Reflections of a Public Man,” as a way of personally benefiting from more than $600,000 in campaign funds that Wright had previously paid to his publisher, William Carlos Moore, for election services, such as bumper stickers and buttons. Wright’s royalties on the book were 55% of the total profit.