Knox would limit contributions

Tom Knox, the local businessman who is tapping his multi-million dollar fortune to run for governor, said yesterday that if elected, he would urge statewide limits on political contributions.

Knox, who placed second in the 2007 Democratic primary for mayor in Philadelphia, also wants to require that elected officials resign if they seek another public office. Of the seven men running for governor, Knox is the only one who doesn't hold office.

Knox unveiled those and other reforms in an e-mail to 800,000 registered Democrats in the state followed by an online chat session and a conference call yesterday. One participant in the online chat accused Knox of trying to buy the election.

"I would suggest that my funding my election is far better than Comcast or some other large company giving large donations and creating the impression that my administration is for sale to special-interest groups," Knox replied.

Later, Knox told reporters that the wealthy have an advantage because they don't have to seek the support of interest groups. "Usually, people who are wealthy can't be bought," he added.

Knox, who spent more than $10 million on his run for mayor, ducked questions on how much he would spend on this campaign and emphasized that he was raising funds like other candidates.

He wants a $500 limit during each election cycle for donors with contracts for state business. He also wants to limit contributions from everyone else but didn't offer an amount.

In calling for elected officials to resign before running for another office, Knox repeatedly said he was not a "career politician."

The other candidates are Republicans state Attorney General Tom Corbett and U.S. Rep. Jim Gerlach, and four Democrats - state Auditor General Jack Wagner, Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato, Montgomery County Commissioner Joe Hoeffel and Scranton Mayor Chris Doherty.

"People want you to do the job you were elected for," Knox said.

While Knox unveiled his ethics package, reporters asked about a Philadelphia Board of Ethics case from the 2007 race that ended in September when Knox paid $15,500 for a fine and legal costs.

Knox's campaign funded radio ads that used a bogus organization name and that bashed then- front-runner Michael Nutter about a land dispute involving a West Philadelphia church.

Knox in September said he settled the case in the best interest of the public but disagreed with some of the allegations.

Knox said yesterday that he accepted responsibility while dismissing the issue as a mistake made on a campaign-finance report.

"Quite frankly I didn't know anything about it," Knox said. "If I had seen that ad, I never would have run it. It was a ridiculous ad. It was counterproductive and probably not true."