LEGI-SLATE
Friday, Feb. 26, 1999

Republican Gov. George Pataki plans to recruit popular Westchester District Attorney Jeanine Pirro to challenge New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani for the GOP Senate nomination will likely be put on hold now that Pirro's husband has been indicted on federal tax evasion charges. Pirro acted as master of ceremonies at Pataki's second inauguration and was rumored to have been on the short list of choices for running mate in 1996. Albert Pirro is facing 33 charges stemming from failure to report more than $1 million in income on tax returns between 1988 and 1997.

Maine: Senate President Considers U.S. Senate Bid

Legi-Slate sources say Senate President Mark Lawrence (D) intends to challenge U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe (R) in 2000. Lawrence, who is term-limited, must leave office after this session. Snowe, a formidable fund-raiser, is very popular in Maine, particularly after voting to acquit President Clinton on both articles of impeachment. Most state polls showed most Mainers wanted an acquittal.

Michigan: School Control Issue Sparks Local Protests

Republican Gov. John Engler's proposal to require Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer (D) to take over the city's schools could become the key partisan battle of the year. A group of Detroit residents last week told the education committees in both the state House and Senate that even if the proposal passes, they would not allow the mayor to take over the schools. They threatened to march on the Capitol, hold sit-ins and file lawsuits to block implementation of the measure.

South Carolina: Racial Policy Could Affect Scholarships at Jones

One lawmaker has proposed a plan that would deny Bob Jones University eligibility for the state's new scholarships or tuition tax credit because the school prohibits interracial dating and marriage. Sen. Darrell Jackson (D) is introducing legislation that would prevent students attending the school from participating in the LIFE Scholarship program, which enables South Carolina students who have a B average and attend college in-state to receive $2,000 a year for tuition, books and school expenses. The Democrat-controlled Senate passed a similar measure last year, but the Republican House rejected the plan.

Texas: Raising Money – Texas Style

As Gov. George W. Bush (R) moves closer to entering the 2000 presidential race, many wonder how he will raise money under state campaign finance laws that prohibit collecting political contributions during legislative sessions. Pundits question whether Bush will try to circumvent the state law. He could form an exploratory committee as a precursor to a presidential bid, which would allow him to collect contributions, according to the Texas Ethics Commission. The exploratory committee would be a federal entity, not subject to state law, although contributions for federal races are limited to $1,000. The Texas legislative session will run through May, 1999.