-----~ ------- --------- RIPON CONTENTS Politics 1 - 6 Commentary 7 Duly Noted 8 OCTOBER 1, 1974 VOL. X No.19 50 CENTS norships, compared to their 58-42 prospects for John Rhodes' return to POLITICS: handicap in the Senate. the gubernatorial mansion in Ohio The results could be particularly have improved, but he is still the un­ REPORTS devastating to the GOP if - as is derdog. Republicans have almost no highly possible - it i5 shut out of the chance of recapturing the governorship gubernatorial mansions of all of the in Florida, and Democrats are rated THE GOP nation's 10 largest states. That situation front runners in New York, Califor­ would be a dramatic reversal of the nia, and MassaChusetts. New Jersey and The week after the Nixon pardon, Republican Party's sta:tus in early 1970 Illinois already have Democratic gov­ the income of the Republican Con­ when it had control of gubernatorial ernors. gressional Committee was rut in half. mansions in Florida, New Jersey, New Republicans also face the loss of Although similar drops in campaign York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, statehouses in Oregon, Arizona, Con­ contributions were reported by Repub­ Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, and Cali­ necticut, and possibly New Hamp­ lican candidates ac;oss the country, the fornia. By the end of 1974, Michigan shire. They have possible pickups in impact on finances was perhaps not as could easily be the only major state Maine, New Mexico, and Oklahoma, great as the depression of Republican with a Republican governor. The but their chances are dubious. The hopes for 1974. The thrill was dead - and justifi­ ably so when the impact of the pardon was coupled with primary results and other, unrelated events. 1974 could be a very bad year for Republicans. Democrats, for instance, are still looking to pick up over 30 seats in the House of Representatives. Republicans are hoping to keep their losses below 20. Potential disaster areas center in the Midwest - where seats could be lost in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan, and Wisconsin - but also include endangered seats all across the country from California to New Jersey. Similarly, analyses of Republican hopes are pessimistic. The GOP's chances of capturing Democratic seats in Iowa, Indiana, and Alaska seem tenuous. In Hawaii and Alabama, Re­ publicans don't even have candidates against Sen. Daniel K. Inouye and Sen. James Allen. In Colorado, Kansas, Kentucky, Utah, North Dakota, Okla­ homa, and Florida, GOP Senate seats could conceivably be turned over to Democrats. As a result, predictions of four-five seat losses in the Senate are common for Republicans. The situation is even worse at the gubernatorial level where the GOP starts from a worse position. The GOP now controls only 18 of the 50 gover- odds are for a net l~s of six state­ the House Administration· Committee in business from the boss. Definitions houses. was checking on his financial reports of what was a personal expense and The situation is no brighter at the as "vicious and unfounded." He de­ what was a campaign expense were legislative level where many seats have nied any violations of the law and in­ difficult, Hansen's· lawyers have ad­ gone uncontested by the GOP, and sisted that acceptance of 21 corporate mitted. where houses of several state legisla­ checks was simple oversight. Because George Hansen is not a rich tures appear likely to switch to Demo­ "The word 'investigation' is a little man and has suffered from the debts cratic control. heavy. It's just a matter of responding he incurred in his previous, frequent Against that background, Mary to a little inquiry," said Hansen in campaigns - he has run for the U.S. Louise Smith has taken over as chair­ August. Persons familiar with the "in­ Senate four times, for example - his man of the Republican National Com­ quiry," however, think Hansen may be large loan to his own campaign raised mittee. In making her acceptance indicted by the Justice Department. eyebrows. It was apparently secured as speech to the RNC, Mrs. Smith, "It is Hansen has drawn fire not only for a personal loan, guaranteed by a Dem­ time for the Republican Party t" come his campaign finances but for his. lack ocratic businessman in return for a to grips with the shape we're in. Re­ of candor in discussing his legal prob­ second mortgage on Hansen's home. publican registration is down. In too lems. Hansen, once a liberal Pocatello City many areas the number of Republican Since the primary, investigations of Council candidate turned ultraconserva­ office-holders has declined." Hansen's financing have revealed an tive, has filed suit against the Idaho So has Republican optimism. _ auditor's nightmare .and substantial ir­ • Democratic state treasurer for alleg­ regularities. Hansen's early financial edly illegally securing a copy of Han­ reports this year were late and it was sen's credit report. IDAHO not until lawyers unraveled Hansen's According to the former congress­ books (in a mid-September accounting man, "I have a long reCord of being a to the clerk of the House) that a clear fighter for honest and clean govern­ In February of this year, former picture of Hansen's finances was pos­ ment and have left no stone unturned Idaho U.S. Rep. George Hansen (R) sible. since the election to quietly meet any told the Idaho Falls Kiwanis dub: The two most ticklish problems in­ and all questions concerning my cam­ "The great problem in government to­ volved a $25,000 "personal" bank paign finances." It has been sug­ day is that officials won't come forward loan to Hansen earlier this year - gested that Hansen may have been in­ with straight answers to our questions. much of which money was used on his vestigated in order to demonstrate that A mature politician must be mature congr~siopalcan:Ipaign - am! the use current campaign financing laws have enough to face the public squarely of nearly one third of Hansen's cam­ "teeth." House Administration Com­ with the issues." paign funds to reimburse a printing mittee Chairman Wayne Hays (D­ Hansen went on to say that there operation called "The Copy Cat." The Ohio) opposes further changes in the were two varieties of sins - sins of Copy Cat is owned by George Hansen. laws; it was he along with U.S. Rep. omission and sins of commission. His· lawyers finally assigned $10,688 William Dickinson (R-Ala.) who By his own admission, George Han­ of the $25,000 loan to the campaign; turned the Hansen investigation over sen has been guilty of both types of they had to draw subtle distinctions to the Justice Department. sins this year in his campaign to oust between campaign and non-campaign In an analysis of Hansen's finances, U.S. Rep. Orval Hansen (R). He expenditures. Hansen loaned another Lewiston Mornitlg Tribune reporter prefers to characterize his sins as over­ $6,000 to his campaign in the post­ Jay Shelledy concluded: "Voters in the sight, however. (George defeated Or­ primary period. 2nd CD. went to the polls Aug. 6 val in the August 6 GOP congressional Whereas early campaign reports deprived of a true and accurate picture primary.) showed all campaign expenditures as of candidate George Hansen's cam­ When Hansen's campaign finances payable to an advertising agency which paign financing. The question is first came under extensive investigation ran Hansen's campaign, later account­ whether this sin of omission was by in August, he denounced reports that showed the Copy Cat received $17,122 negligence or design. And in fairness SOCIETY INC Is a Republican research and SUBSCRIPTION RATES are $15 a year, $7.50 for students, serv­ THE RIPON , • polley orgcmlzation whose icemen, and for Peace COrps, Vista and other volunteel'B. Overseas members are young business, academic and jlfOfeBBional men and air moll. $3 extra. Advertising rates on request. Please allow women. It has national headquarters in DIstrict 01 Columbia, live weeks lor address changes. chapters in fifteen cities, National Associate members throughout the fifty states, and several aIIlliated groups 01 subchapter status. Editor: Dick Behn The Society Is supported by c~ter dues, ihdlvidual contribu­ tions and revenues irom Its publications and contract work. Editorial Boanll Is published semi-monthly by the Robert D. Behn, Grc:drman Tanya Mellch THE RI PON FORUM RI~n Society, Inc., 509 C Street N.E., Robert H. Donaldson Robert G. Stewart Washington, D.C. 20002. Second class postage rates paid at Wash­ James Manahan Ralph Thayer Ington, D.C. and other mailing houses. COntents are copyrighted © 1974 by the Ripon Society, Inc. Correspondence addressed to the Contributing Editors: CliHord Brown, Glenn Gerstel!, Wllllan. A. I!ditor Is welcomed. Koelsch, Doniel J. Swillinger. Josiah Lee Auspitz, Richord W. Rahn, In publishing this magazine the Ripon Society seeks to provtde John A. Rehluss, Thomas A. Sargent, Richard Cleveland, Mark a forum lor fresh ideas, well-researched proposcils and lor a sptrit trozier, Peter Berg, Martin Sours, and William K. Woods. of criticism, Innovation, and independent thinking within the Re­ publican party. Articles do not n8cessarily represent the opinion Technical Editor: Brian McCarthy 01 the National Governing Board or the Editorial Board 01 the Ripon Society, unless they are explicitly so labelled. Art: Leslie Morrill and Annie Greene 2 -------------------------------- to Hansen there is also another ques­ the financial resources of the Nelson Added to the organizational prob­ tion: whether the Justice Department campaign, Petri has had to rely on his lems of the Dyke campaign are the has been sicked on him for political feet to reach the voters and the media.