Lott To Block Nominees Over Fec Dispute

Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott said Friday he will block Senate action on all presidential nominations, except for the military, until President Clinton fills four seats on the Federal Election Commission.

The commission’s six members are evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans. The terms of two holders of GOP seats expired two years ago.

In a letter to Clinton, Lott said he has tried to resolve the issue with White House staff for more than six months. He added that the commission’s integrity and the security of the electoral process were at stake.

“You have your responsibilities and I have mine,” wrote Lott. “Today, my responsibility is to inform you that, from this day forward, no nomination other than military appointments will be considered in the Senate until the four expired seats on the FEC are filled to our mutual satisfaction.”

Lott has nominated M.D.B. “Margo” Carlisle and Darryl R. Wold for the two expired Republican slots.

The White House said Lott’s warning came as a surprise because one of his nominees has already been approved and is going through background checks. Spokesman Barry Toiv said the White House was getting mixed signals.

“We’re ready to move with two Democratic nominees. It’s a question of one of their candidates moving through the vetting and another one just getting a clear signal from Senator Lott as to who he wants,” he said.

Toiv also suggested that Lott’s letter was prompted by FEC action on Clinton’s request to ban soft-money donations to political parties.

“Clearly Sen. Lott is unhappy about the 5-0 vote in the FEC this week to consider the president’s request for a ban on soft money,” Toiv said.