Gilchrest starts accepting PAC money

By Joseph Gidjunis Staff Writer

SALISBURY -- U.S. Rep. Wayne Gilchrest has stood on a political fundraising pedestal since 1993 for not accepting Political Action Committee money to directly fund his own campaigns.

These groups, known as PACs, are formed almost exclusively with the purpose to raise and spend money for political candidates, but while individuals are capped at giving $2,300 per election, a PAC has double the giving potential at $5,000. PACs are negatively stereotyped because they are often formed to push a special interest with contributions from residents outside the voting district.

But Gilchrest, a nine-term Republican incumbent, acknowledged stepping down from the pinnacle of his fundraising moxie Monday in order to combat the massive fundraising efforts of state Sen. Andrew Harris, R-7-Baltimore County.

The new position was confirmed after a fundraising lunch invitation for Gilchrest with House Republican Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, was released stating the suggested contribution for the Washington meal is $1,000 in PAC or personal money.

The lunch is Thursday at noon. Gilchrest campaign spokesman Tony Caligiuri said the campaign was forced into this difficult move because groups such as Club for Growth have bundled the maximum amount of contributions allowed by federal law and urged hundreds of residents across the country to send Harris a campaign check.

The tactic is common, but Gilchrest has repeatedly supported a no-PAC policy, literally returning PAC campaign checks to the sender."After the last finance report, when we realized the Club for Growth was going to dump hundreds of thousands of dollars into this race, it wouldn't be a fair fight. He's taking PAC money, money from all over the country. We have to fundraise as aggressively as Andy Harris," Caligiuri said referring to D.C.-based Club for Growth, an anti-tax, small government organization.

"Fundraising has never been a strength of Wayne Gilchrest. He would rather not raise PAC money. ... It's a sad fact that this campaign has been pushed to do this."Gilchrest has made his no-PAC position clear numerous times, including in a letter The Daily Times published in 2002."I know special-interests groups don't like me very much and are helping to fund my opponent's campaign. That's because I don't take PAC money and my vote can't be bought," Gilchrest wrote in a letter printed Aug. 25, 2002. "I only accept contributions from people who can vote for me, and I wish every member of Congress subscribed to that."Caligiuri said the campaign started accepting PAC money this quarter, which began Oct. 1, but he could not immediately determine the total raised. Two contributions made in October totaling $4,000 were listed on the Federal Election Commission's Web site Monday. Congressional campaigns do not have to file their fourth quarter report, which ends Dec. 31, until January.FEC reports, however, are often amended or updated. Half a dozen contributions from other PACs earlier in the year were also listed. However, Caligiuri said most, if not all, of these checks were returned to the sender.Harris, who has listed more than $46,000 in PAC contributions, about one-tenth of his individual contributions, said

Gilchrest's policy shift is what voters in the 1st Congressional District should expect from their representative."What we are saying is the congressman ran one way 17 years ago, and now he has abandoned things that he said then, and taking PAC money is one of the things," Harris said.Harris emphasized that he has no problems with Gilchrest taking PAC money because he, too, is benefiting from these dollars. He conceded that without PAC money, a challenger can't defeat a 17-year incumbent. But what he wants to point out is the change in position."An incumbent has a tremendous advantage. If I had chosen not to accept money from outside the district, it would be impossible to challenge an incumbent," Harris said. "I've always accepted this money. I challenge anyone to see if this makes me beholden."GOP primary newcomer state Sen. E.J. Pipkin, R-36-Queen Anne's, who announced his filing for the 1st Congressional District on Thursday, did not return a phone call for comment.