Bill to cap PAC funding proceeds

By Denise Ross, Journal Staff Writer | Tuesday, February 01, 2005

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PIERRE -- A bill that would cap contributions to political action committees in South Dakota at $5,000 per person per year cleared a legislative committee by a 7-2 vote Monday.

Sen. Stan Adelstein, R-Rapid City, said he believes SB 172 is aimed at him.

"Yeah, I think it is," Adelstein said. "It's a very foolish effort."

If it is, the bill is the latest manifestation of a political feud between Senate President Lee Schoenbeck, R-Watertown, and Adelstein. During the 2004 session, Schoenbeck was prime sponsor of an abortion ban bill that Adelstein voted against.

Then, Adelstein, through a PAC he established in 2002 with $8,000 of his own money, contributed $1,000 to a Republican who ran against Schoenbeck in the 2004 primary race.

On Monday, Schoenbeck said SB172 is an attempt to halt an abuse of the state's scant campaign finance laws that currently don't limit how much one person may contribute to a PAC.

"This is an attempt to keep our election process open, fair and even in South Dakota. We don't begrudge anybody making a profit, having wealth and spending it on just about anything but elections. We carve out one area of the marketplace and say there are limits," Schoenbeck said. "We're trying to get people to stop using PACs like they're personal checking accounts."

Schoenbeck said limits on contributions are needed to ensure that people have equal access to the political process.

After the committee vote, Adelstein said SB172 would give an advantage to out-of-state groups not subject to South Dakota's laws.

"It gives all the advantage to Democrats because they get all their money from out of state. It ends up cutting off our sources of funds in-state," Adelstein said. "Anybody who wants to can go to California or Wyoming and send all the money they want from there.

Adelstein said he does not regret financially supporting Claire Konold's primary bid against Schoenbeck.

"He is someone who had supported me on some education bills, and I thought he would be a better legislator than Lee Schoenbeck," Adelstein said. "That's what America's about."

Schoenbeck said Adelstein engaged in a shell game that distorts the system.

"Money is the mother's milk of politics, but Dolly Parton doesn't have to be the delivery vehicle," he said.

Schoenbeck said SB172 wouldn't stop all campaign finance abuses.

"Money is fluid, and the human spirit is ingenious. Rules need to be updated to address the innovative ways people find to get around them," he said.

SB172 now goes to the full Senate for a vote.

Adelstein said he might talk about a veto with Gov. Mike Rounds, another candidate who benefited from Adelstein's use of PACs in the 2002 Republican gubernatorial primary.

Contact Denise Ross at 394-8438 or denise.ross@rapidcityjournal.com