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final scramble defeat broad overhaul the campaign finance law house republican leaders struggled tuesday shape rival bill and strategy fracture the coalition democrats and republicans who want ban unlimited contributions the political parties after day non stop negotiations and meetings republican strategists said that gop leaders were leaning toward new plan scuttle the shays meehan bill ban soft money proposing even more stringent constraints political donations although the house leaders have long opposed soft money ban their new approach was seen way give undecided gop moderates political cover look like they are taking stand against big money even they help kill campaign finance overhaul the house passes alternative legislation the shays meehan bill campaign finance overhaul would likely dead for the year the same time concession their own designed nail down some final votes the sponsors legislation ban soft money republican christopher shays connecticut and democrat martin meehan massachusetts changed their bill that would not into effect until nov the day after the hotly contested elections which control the house and senate are stake their opponents charged them with insincerity bit hypocritical said rep john boehner ohio they really believe the right thing why not now republicans plan offer amendment wednesday make the shays meehan bill instantaneously effective and force the parties return the soft money already collected the frenzied maneuvering promised produce topsy turvy and confusing house debate with each side promoting itself purer than the other passage more stringent bill would throw the house into compromise negotiations with the senate which last year passed bill nearly identical the shays meehan measure that would give the opponents another chance stop weaken the legislation hope they don think their constituents are stupid shays said the tactic calling cynical with one quite sure who will prevail when the final votes are taken late wednesday night early thursday morning the capitol was the scene frenetic behind the scenes lobbying and vote counting and the maneuvering took place day that showed all the complicated political crosscurrents that have put the house the brink the most intensive effort change the campaign laws years the nerve center opposition the campaign finance effort was the capitol suites the three senior republican leaders lobbyists for array interest groups swarmed the hill backing one bill another seeking change working sometimes odd couple alliances their united purpose was defeat shays meehan backers the shays meehan bill found new fuel for their fight the senate where kenneth lay the former chairman the enron corp whom some are calling the poster boy for changing the system large contributions was taking the fifth amendment and refusing testify meehan said enron would help him pick some surprise votes enron millions dollars soft money contributions has tarnished all the public eye and tired said rep robert ney republican pushing his own campaign bill called shameful for his opponents use enron propel their cause the two parties were working hard against each other and lobbyists for array interest groups from the national rifle association organized labor common cause swarmed capitol hill backing one bill another their own amendments working sometimes odd couple left right alliances begin optional trim rep dick gephardt the house minority leader from missouri made calls seeking new democratic votes for the shays meehan bill and rep nancy pelosi the new minority whip from california had her vote counting organization getting democratic votes most democrats are expected support the shays meehan bill along with republicans that makes another republican moderates the swing votes speaker dennis hastert illinois who has warned republicans they could lose control the house without unlimited donations held strategy meetings his aides made calls rep dick armey the majority leader from texas was assembling the new republican bill and rep tom delay the majority whip from texas was deploying the powerful whip organization work undecided republicans his aides gave out talking points describing the shays meehan bill critical flaws sign the intense last minute struggle for edge republican plans unveil their own new bill the last afternoon were abruptly scrapped aides said the leaders were still trying peel away votes from the other side and that they also wanted the advantage utmost secrecy about just what they planned bring the house floor several republican lawmakers acknowledged they had uphill task because the house has twice approved version the shays meehan bill and and members votes were record this going tough said john feehery spokesman for hastert this going uphill fight the supporters the shays meehan bill were more optimistic but unwilling declare victory this the hardest bill pass that there said gephardt because bill that contains material that affects every member election and election the republican national committee closely tied the white house was working against the bill but the annoyance some the house gop leadership president bush stood personally above the fray the president not lobbying said white house press secretary ari fleischer end optional trim under the rules for debate wednesday will vote marathon with the final outcome known late night thursday morning three campaign finance bills will likely competing against each other and whichever one survives will then subject many amendment attempts the shays meehan legislation bans large unlimited donations the political parties which rose nearly million the last election but bow the concerns black democrats who fear the soft money ban will hinder get out the vote drives allows individuals make contributions state political parties for get out the vote and registration efforts also prohibits outside groups from running advocacy ads that are really thinly disguised campaign ads days before primary and days before general election rival bill sponsored ney and rep albert wynn would allow individuals donate year each the six national political party committees would allow unlimited donations the state political parties they said they were still making changes their bill tuesday night search more votes story can end here optional material follows armey was also working his measure behalf the gop aides said was likely ban all soft money with exception and into effect right away both sides were also drawing amendments republicans were looking for ways fracture the fragile shays meehan coalition and were considering such ideas striking out the donations state parties dear black democrats restoring immediate effective date the soft money ban that too might scare democrats who desperately want take back the house november shays and meehan said they would put three amendments test the sentiment the house several issues one would parallel action taken the senate last year and allow individual donors give house candidates per election regulated donations instead the current limit another measure would allow the house decide whether wanted ahead with provisions forcing television stations charge the lowest possible rate for political advertising