The System Is the Biggest Villain

Former Republican National Chairman Haley Barbour put up a spirited defense of his party when he appeared last week before the Senate committee investigating campaign fund-raising abuses. “People who say everybody does it are wrong,” Barbour insisted. “It’s not true. Everybody doesn’t do it.” But he undercut his own declaration a few minutes later. When asked about $50,000 donated by an Indonesian family to the National Policy Forum, a GOP research organization that he directed, Barbour replied that the Democrats got $250,000 from the same family. That’s true, and the difference in degree is worth noting. Still, the effect of Barbour’s response is, “See there: They do it too.” Since there are only two major political parties, that’s about the same as saying that everybody does it.

And Barbour seemed to suffer the same memory problem that has plagued other witnesses. He insisted he did not know until recently that a $2.1-million loan guarantee to the National Policy Forum came from a Hong Kong businessman. In subsequent testimony, three other witnesses--including another former GOP chairman--said that Barbour indeed had been told, and warned, about the source of the money.

Democrats have had their own problems of amnesia, or worse. Donor Johnny Chung told The Times that First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton’s former chief of staff asked him, in the White House, for a $50,000 contribution in exchange for a visit there with a group of Chinese businessmen. “I see the White House is like a subway: You have to put in coins to open the gates,” he said. The White House admits getting the check but denies it was solicited.

These sorts of contradictions get headlines and indeed could lead to prosecution. But this play within a play should not obscure the message of the hearings: The system is corrupt, and corrupting, and Congress must fix it.

There is, in fact, growing support for banning “soft money” contributions in this session even if Congress is unable to agree on a comprehensive campaign reform bill. Three former presidents--Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter and George Bush--have joined the fight to outlaw these unrestricted contributions to party committees. The former chief executives are all too familiar with the insane contests waged to raise ever-greater sums. They also know that both sides are quite capable of living with reform.