01.27.00

By Lindsay Kastner

In an attempt to reform campaign finance tactics, a legislative committee has set a policy to prohibit senators from using the Senate seal on invitations to fund-raisers or charitable events.

For many years, senators frequently used the Senate seal on such invitations, reform advocate Steve Calos said. Using a government seal on invitations may help senators catch the attention of recipients, he said.

People tend to take things like invitations more seriously when they appear to be from the government, said Calos, executive director of Common Cause of Virginia, a nonprofit group dedicated to campaign finance reform.

The full-color Senate seal is reserved for official Senate business. In the past, however, senators were allowed to use an outline form of the seal for unofficial business such as invitations to fund-raisers and charitable events. Former members of the Senate were only allowed to use only an all blue outline of the seal.

The Senate Rules Committee changed all that last week when it adopted the new policy.

Calos said use of the seal on invitations has not been as widespread as it once was, and senators recently began using stationary with a disclaimer saying it was not printed using taxpayer money. "For a long time it was done and there was no disclaimer statement," he said.

Senators may still use stationary with an outline of the seal to send thank-you notes to those who attend fund-raisers and charitable events, Senate Clerk Susan Shaar said.

Senators at the meeting stressed the importance of using personal judgment when deciding whether use of the seal is appropriate. "If you've got to ask, don't do it," said Sen. Charles J. Colgan.

Calos said the new policy is a positive step towards reform. "They're showing more discretion in recent years," he said.