Nation IN BRIEF : PENNSYLVANIA : GOP Plans Refunds for Some Donors

The National Republican Senatorial Committee will offer refunds to Pennsylvania residents who took part in a fund-raising campaign that resulted in money being automatically withdrawn from their bank accounts, state officials said. Last year, the committee sent $25 checks to regular GOP contributors and others. By depositing the check, the recipient agreed to have $12.50 a month transferred electronically to a GOP task force. Pennsylvania officials maintained that recipients of the checks may not have been adequately informed of the consequences of depositing them. New Jersey has filed suit against the GOP tactic, and several other states are investigating it.