House Commerce Committee Chmn. Tauzin (R-La.) and other key membe...

when selling ad space. Tauzin, ranking Democrat Dingell (Mich.), Rep. Green (D-Tex.) and House Telecom Subcommittee Chmn. Upton (R-Mich.) sent letter late Wed. to Chmn. Ney (R-O.) and ranking Democrat Hoyer (Md.) to shoot down attempts to adopt amendment by Sen. Torricelli (D-N.J.) that was attached to bill (S-27) that Senate approved earlier this year. House Administration Committee is holding hearing today (Thurs.) on campaign finance bill by Sens. McCain (R-Ariz.) and Feingold (D- Wis.). Although it’s expected to be committee that will move bill to Senate floor (CD June 22 p2), Ney, Hoyer and other members in recent weeks have raised questions on constitutionality of Torricelli amendment. House Commerce members also sent letter to Reps. Hays (R-Conn.) and Meehan (D-Mass.), who are likely to reintroduce similar campaign finance measure in near future. Letter said: “[B]y requiring television broadcast, cable and satellite companies to provide candidates with rates equivalent to the least expensive spot in the same time period over the past year and making those spots nonpreemptible, the Torricelli amendment goes well beyond merely clarifying existing law and fulfilling its original intent…[W]e find troubling the notion that federal government officials, through this amendment, would be awarding themselves far superior treatment than even the most favored advertisers during the preelection period.” Broadcasters applauded effort to remove Torricelli amendment, with NAB Pres. Edward Fritts saying: “Far from being ‘reform,’ the Torricelli amendment would result in perpetual political campaigns and more negative attack ads.”