NASHVILLE - Republican gubernatorial hopeful Zach Wamp said today that, if the General Assembly moves this year to ease a ban on lawmakers raising campaign cash during legislative sessions, it should go into effect in the 2012 election cycle and not this year.
The Chattanooga congressman's comments come as one of his GOP gubernatorial rivals, state Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey, R-Bountville, weighs whether to try yet again to change a 1996 fundraising ban in order to let him raise funds as the session meets.
"I would think any logical analysis would say that if this needs to be changed it would be effective in the next election cycle, not this existing election cycle, the current election cycle." Rep. Wamp said this morning during a visit to the state Capitol. "That would make no sense to change it in the middle of the cycle given the fact that everybody knew the rules going in."
Some state lawmakers have said the rule gives an advantage to Rep. Wamp, since he is not affected by the fundraising ban. The two other major GOP candidates, Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam and Shelby County District Attorney Bill Gibbons, also are not affected by the ban.
State Senate Minority Leader Jim Kyle of Memphis, who is also affected by the ban, has said he is not seeking a change in the law.