LAZIO: We have rejected the use of soft money in this campaign. My campaign has neither raised nor spent a dollar of soft money, which is a very different experience from my opponent. We could have easily decided to go down that road of trying to raise a
lot of money in very large denominations, but decided against it. If you look at the average donation that I receive, it’s like less than $100.
CLINTON: He received a million dollars in contributions from the home-building industry.
Source: NY Senate debate on NBC
Oct 28, 2000
Average donation is under $100
Q: Campaign finance. Mr. Lazio, you’ve taken contributions from the housing industry, and you serve on a committee that regulates housing.
LAZIO: If you look at the average donation that I receive, it’s like less than $100. In the House, of course I’ve
been very active on housing issues.
Q: But have you gotten heavy contributions from the housing industry?
LAZIO: We’ve gotten contributions from a whole range of people with different interests that are important to the quality of life of New Yorkers
CLINTON: He received a million dollars in contributions from the home-building industry and from the manufacturers of homes. And in return, at least there is an appearance that he did several things. He fought to weaken the safety standards for
manufactured housing and in-home building.
LAZIO: That’s absolutely false. And you know it, Mrs. Clinton.
CLINTON: Well, Mr. Lazio, you just referred to The Daily News, which ran an investigative article which made exactly that point.
Source: NY Senate debate on NBC
Oct 28, 2000
Public financing of elections is welfare for politicians
Q: Do you support campaign finance reform?
LAZIO: I voted for campaign finance reform. I have run this campaign abiding by McCain-Feingold. We have not raised a dime of soft money. I do not agree with public financing because the voters should decide
who is elected. We should not have welfare for politicians.
CLINTON: I think we need to change the system of campaign financing. I just have to remark that Mr. Lazio’s campaign violated the very simple agreement that we entered. Last month,
Mr. Lazio said that this was an issue of trust and character. If New Yorkers can’t trust him to keep his word for 10 days, how can they trust him for six years on issues like Social Security, Medicare, prescription drugs and education?
LAZIO: Mrs.
Clinton, no lectures from Motel 1600 on campaign finance reform. I took a legitimate contribution of clean hard money. My opponent objected. Because I have a commitment to campaign finance reform and to this agreement, I refunded the money.
Source: Senate debate in Manhattan
Oct 8, 2000
Demands Hillary sign “Freedom from Soft Money Pact”
LAZIO: I have right here a pledge that I sent over to my opponent. It’s a ban on soft money pledge. I’m willing to say we will neither raise nor spend a dime of soft money and ask all outside groups to stay away if my opponent is willing to do the same.
CLINTON: In May I made exactly that offer. I said, “Let’s forego soft money, but let’s also be sure we don’t have these independent expenditures.” If you will get signed agreements from all your friends and will not be running so-called independent
ads, will not be doing push polling, will not be doing mass mailings with outrageous personal attacks, I think we can have an agreement.
LAZIO: I’d be happy to get signed agreements, but I want to get it done right now. I don’t want any more wiggle
room. Here it is. Let’s sign it. It’s the New York Freedom from Soft Money Pact.
CLINTON: Well, I would be happy to when you give me the signed letters.
LAZIO: Sign it right now.
CLINTON: We’ll shake on it.
LAZIO: No, I want your signature.
Source: Clinton-Lazio debate, Buffalo NY
Sep 13, 2000
Fully fund the National Endowment for the Arts
On Arts. Lazio was one of only 15 Republicans who bucked the party leadership and voted for full funding for the National Endowment for the Arts.
Source: David Rosenbaum, New York Times
Jun 4, 2000
Ban soft money & issue ads
On Campaign finance. Lazio has voted for legislation that would ban donations of largely unregulated soft money to political parties and restrict the ability of parties to run issue advertisements on behalf of candidates.
Source: David Rosenbaum, New York Times
Jun 4, 2000
Supported a Term Limits constitutional amendment
On Term limits. Lazio supported a constitutional amendment that would have placed a 12-year limit on the terms of senators and representatives.
Source: David Rosenbaum, New York Times
Jun 4, 2000
No soft money; yes full campaign disclosure
Lazio supports the following principles regarding Campaign Finance Reform:
Strengthen and enforce legislation that encourages full and timely disclosure of campaign finance information.
Ban the unregulated
campaign contributions known as soft money.
Prohibit non-U.S. citizens from making contributions to federal campaigns.
Source: National Political Awareness Test 1998 (vote-smart.org)
Jul 2, 1998
Term limits: 12 years for Senate & House
Lazio supports terms limits of two 6-year terms for Senators, and six 2-year terms for Representatives.
Source: National Political Awareness Test 1998 (vote-smart.org)
Jul 2, 1998
Voted YES on banning soft money.
Campaign Finance Reform Act to ban "soft money" and impose restrictionson issue advocacy campaigning
Reference: Bill sponsored by Shays, R-CT;
Bill HR 417
; vote number 1999-422
on Sep 14, 1999
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