Tallahassee Democrat from Tallahassee, Florida • Page 14

Tallahassee Democrat 2BThursday, October 21, 1999 Nation Names Faces briefs COURTS POLITICS: Elizabeth Dole said money was a factor in her decision to leave the race From 18 I I iiV Federal court reverses fraud verdict against ABC A federal appeals court on Wednesday reversed a jury verdict that found ABC committed fraud in a hidden-camera expose of unsanitary conditions at Food Lion's supermarkets. The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, with a 2-1 ruling, threw out a $315,000 judgment against ABC over a 1992 "PrimeTime Live" story. The appeals court disagreed with the jury's finding that ABC engaged in a business deception in violation of the North Carolina Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act, or UTPA. So while others are beating the bushes for donations limited, by law to $1,000 a person, Forbes' is able to write himself checks that are 300, 500 or 1,500 times that size.

Federal law does not limit personal spending by candidates. California Republican Michael Huffington spent $5.2 million of his own money to win a House seat in 1992, then lost to Dianne Feinstein in the 1994 Senate race after spending $28.3 million on the contest. Ross Perot spent $63.5 million on his 1992 presidential bid and another $8.2 million four years later. Candidates who spend their own money sometimes do win In 1994, Sen. Frank Lautenberg, spent $750,000 of his own money and was re-elected.

The same year, the late Rep. Sonny Bono, used $228,500 of personal funds to win a House seat. One reason so few self-financed candidates win is that they are often challenging entrenched incumbent members of Congress. Still, they tend to do better than challengers who do not use their own money, Corrado said. Four other Republican contenders have also dropped out, citing lack of money.

Already this year Forbes whose net worth is estimated at as much as $1 billion has forgiven $37 million he loaned to his 1996 presidential campaign. For the 2000 presidential contest, Forbes is contributing the money outright. He has given $16.3 million of his personal fortune so far, according to disclosure reports at the Federal Election Commission. With that money and the $4.5 million he raised from outside donors, Forbes was able nearly to equal Bush's $20 million in spending through Sept. 30.

"The money that wealthy candidates are willing to spend doesn't guarantee that they will win, but it does guarantee that they will be seen as viable candidates," said Anthony Corrado, an associate professor of government at Colby College in Maine. In the last three months, Forbes wrote 16 checks to his campaign totaling $9.7 million and ranging from $300,000 to $1.5 million. That's more than Sen. John McCain, raised overall. Jl voters, but self- financing is a way to jump-start a campaign," said Jim Jordan, political director of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, which helps elect Democrats to the U.S.

Senate. Elizabeth Dole's decision to drop out of the presidential race Wednesday despite ranking second behind Bush with 11 percent support in a recent Gallup Organization poll demonstrates that fund raising remains an important element of any political campaign. "The bottom line remains money," Dole said in Washington as she announced the end of her presidential campaign, principally because she could not keep pace with Bush's or Forbes' money. COLORADO ROB MICHALAKTfie Associated Press The Ice (Cream) Man Singeth Ben Cohen, co-founder of the Ben Jerry's ice cream company, raps on a new CD and music video called "Move Our Money," in which he advocates less military spending and more on education and health care. Cohen claims he's realistic about his musical talents, saying, "I don't think I'll be hitting the Billboard charts with this one." Tell us something we haven't heard, Maria Teen-ager charged with making Columbine threat A Columbine High School student has been arrested in Golden, for allegedly threatening to "finish the job" of the two teenage gunmen who carried out the bloodbath last spring.

The 17-year-old student, whose name was withheld because he is a juvenile, was jailed Tuesday on charges of inciting destruction of life or property, and theft for allegedly stealing a school microphone. He was held on $500,000 bond. Senate tails proposal to permit late-term abortions Maria Maples vows to blow the whistle on a 1 Trump if he tries for the presidency. "If he's really serious life problem, work problem, boy problem." Whj don't they give Kale Jackson a call? The big-screen production of "Charlie's Angels," already set to star Drew Barrymore and the newly brunet Cameron Diaz, is a mess, according to El GEORGIA 2 unlme gossip columnist Ted Casablanca. The casting of the third angel is still up in the air every-one from.

Thandie Newton to Cathe-r i Maples president and i tuns in the general election next year, I will not be silent," the Deal Artist's ex told London's Daily Telegraph. "I will feel it ff is my duty as an American to tell the people what he is really Hike." Trump, 53, who announced Monday that he'll file as a Reform Party candidate in Cali-Ty fornia's March 7 presidential primary, reacted to Maples' threat by withholding the bal-p ance of their divorce settlement $1.5 mil citing their confi-I dentiality deal. Exactly what does she know I about him? an amendment by Sen. Richard Durbin, that would have prohibited late-term abortions except to preserve the life or health of the pregnant woman. The crucial difference between the Santorum and Durbin alternatives rested on whether to permit third-trimester abortions for women whose health might be adversely affected by carrying a fetus to full term.

Santorum would allow such abortions only if the woman's life was in danger. Durbin's proposal would have permitted the late-term ending of a pregnancy if two physicians, acting independently, determined the pregnancy "would threaten the mother's life or risk grievous injury to her physical health." "My bill is an attempt to strike a reasonable compromise that would meet the constitutional test while protecting a woman's health as well as her life," Durbin said. But Santorum Said federal courts have "so broadly defined By David Hess KNIGHT RIDDER WASHINGTON BUREAU WASHINGTON Reprising its long-standing opposition to a late-term abortion procedure, the Senate voted 61-38 Wednesday night to kill a plan that would have permitted such abortions to protect a woman's health. The vote paved the way for certain passage, probably Thursday, of a bill offered by Sen. Rick Santorum, that would ban so-called "partial-birth abortions" unless a woman's life was in jeopardy.

On two previous occasions, President Clinton has vetoed this legislation and has indicated he will do so again. Up to now, the Senate has been unable to overturn his vetoes, falling three votes shy of the required two-thirds majority last year. Santorum has vowed to keep bringing up his legislation until it becomes law. The vote Wednesday came on health considerations that almost anything goes. Some say that pregnancy itself could cause 'grievous physical injury' and any doctor could sign off on a health exception in good faith in virtually any pregnancy.

That is a huge loophole." The votes Wednesday were largely preliminary tests meant to shed light on how several recently elected Democrats felt about the issue. the Senate last voted, in September 1998, on the proposed late-term abortion ban, four new Democrats and four Republicans have joined the Senate. All four Republicans are certain to vote for Santorum's version. Some of the new Democrats are highly conflicted by the explosive issue and at least one of them Sen. Evan Bayh of Indiana indicated he would vote for both the Durbin and Santorum bills.

A Bayh spokeswoman also said he was "inclined to vote to override any presidential veto." Graffiti on JonBenet's grave cleaned off Graffiti protesting the lack of indictments in the slaying of Jon-Benet Ramsey was cleaned off the 6-year-old, girl's grave on Wednesday in Marietta, Ga. Someone had scrawled "No Justice in U.S.A." in red marker on the plain marble slab covering the grave at St. James Episcopal Church Cemetery, police Lt. Rick Townsend said. The child beauty queen was found dead in her family's Boulder, home the day after Christmas in 1996.

Her parents, John and Patsy, Ramsey, buried JonBenet in Marietta, northwest of Atlanta, and have since moved to the Atlanta area. NEW YORK Barrymore p.V-Tr.- Penelope Cruz (currently the most prom-. ising candidate) has been floated for the part. The production has also endured a number of film-shoot cancellations in Las Vegas, I "His drug is attention," Maples, 35, told the Brit paper. "He's ego-driven." She added: I "Donald was obsessed with me.

From the time I was 22 he I pursued me and, foolishly, I lis- tened to some of his promises I thought I could change Ihim. But he won't change." Dogma dictates I hat Hawaii and California. Of course, how can you shoot when you don't have a script and "Charlie's" is still looking for one. "The biggest prob vi i Diaz Ben is hot, hot, hot! Ben Affleck you in touch inith lem is there's still no script," says a source. "It's long over-; No one's seen one they like." Willkommen and bienvenu, Miss Liza Liza Minnelli will play Broadway's Palace Theater in December for 24 performances and she won't come cheap.

The top ticket price will be is the movie star women most want to undress, according to an Internet poll. The 27-y a 1 Affleck, who has won an I Mr" I $125. Her show, "Minnelli on Minnelli," will salute her father, Vincent Minnelli, who directed the Uffieck Academy I Award and jvas a one-time companion of actress Gwyneth Paltrow, squeaked past Paltrow's other former beau, Brad Pitt. I Jon Stewart was voted the I falk-show host most wanted to be de-briefed. More than 1 3,000 visitors I responded to the poll conducted I by Cosmopolitan magazine and -7 1 "Vf -f 1 classic musicals "Meet Me in St.

Irmis" Li in JWomen.com Networks, according to the results posted Tuesday. fMolher to one, sure, but mother to all? Madonna Ku KIux Klan sues for right to hold rally A Ku Klux Klan group has sued New York City, claiming the police department improperly denied them a permit to hold a rally and that they have a First Amendment right to wear hoods. Last week, the police denied a Klan branch, the Church of the American a permit to gather this coming weekend because the group planned to wear its traditional white robes and hoods. The permit was denied on the grounds that the hoods violate a state statute that prohibits groups from congregating in public places while wearing masks or disguising their faces, except at authorized masquerade parties or other entertainment. NEW MEXICO Two women killed by logs tumbling from truck Forty-two logs fell off a timber truck, crushing two women to death as they waited in a car at a stoplight.

Annette Gonzales, 39, and Emily Baca, 29, were killed on Tuesday in Espanola, N.M. "It was like a pancake," Deputy Police Chief Zac Pana said. "They probably died The logs tumbled from the rig after its rear axle broke, Pana said. YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK Stayner finally charged in sightseers murder case A motel handyman who investigators say confessed to killing three Yosemite National Park sightseers in February was charged Wednesday with their murders. Cary Stayner, 38, was charged with three counts of murder that could bring the death penalty.

Investigators said Stayner confessed in late July to killing Carole Sund, 42, her daughter Juli Sund, 15, and their Argentine friend Silvina Pelosso, 16, while the three were visiting the park in February. Investigators said they waited to charge Stayner in the sightseers' slayings until ruling out the possibility that he had accomplices. Democrat news services hen it comes to keeping you in touch with Florida State and Florida University football Tallahassee.COm is the Minnelli a "An American in Paris." The show will be written and directed by Fred Ebb, who wrote the lyrics for "Chicago" and "Cabaret." It opens Dec. 1. You're sleeping over, Babs, not moving in Is Barbra Streisand demanding? For her one-night stand at the Las Vegas MGM Grand this New Year's Eve, the star is insisting that her dressing room be decorated with rugs and fur denies a ieport in the 7rench press hat she's pregnant again.

i Void mag says the pop diva told it that she a 1 L. place to point your Web browser. You'll find links to exciting Seminole and Rattler game coverage as well as pre- and post-game analysis from the Tallahassee Democrats award-winning sports staff. But there's will list game statistics from previous seasons as well as photographs. So lace up those call a huddle around your and click on Tallahassee.com for the latest links to FSU and FAMU football news.

another kid to Madonna niture from her Los Angeles home, reports the New York Daily News. "She wants it to feel homey," an insider tells the i i i jf ''complete her family," quoting her as saying: "First, I am a I. motlicr, then I am an artist." I Her spokesman also put the I lie to the mag's assertion that I Lourdes of Madonna, 3, would launch her modeling career with I. TV ads for Versace kids' duds. I.

Meanwhile, Madonna seems to have cast a spell upon Gw-I yneth Paltrow. Not only is the I Oscar-winner dating Madonna familiar Guy Oseary, but Pal paper. As for Streisand the acoustics of the showroom, "She's talking about pulling up seats and reinsulating the room so the sound is perfect," claims the source. Streisand is being paid $13 million for the gig which will be recorded for a new CD. ST" D'iiM ujmm.tallahaitee.com trow tells fremiere magazine that she has turned to the Material Girl for psychic solace.

"She's a really wise person," Paltrow says. "Madonna is so helpful in any kind of problem:.