Some had argued Bennett was trying to botch any movement of the campaign finance legislation by trying to add language allowing political parties and candidates to coordinate their efforts during a general election. If accepted, the amendment would have likely killed the bill because Democrats oppose Bennett's proposal.
The Campaign Finance Institute called Bennett's amendment a "poison pill" that would doom any movement in getting Senate candidates' filings online more quickly.
During a Senate Rules Committee hearing Wednesday, Bennett agreed to drop his coordinated campaigning amendment if he could get a hearing on the subject soon.
"It has been an interesting experience for me to introduce an amendment and immediately be the target of all kinds of attacks," Bennett said, noting that he was pulling his amendment to prove there was no "nefarious" purpose.
"I'm not trying to gum up the works," Bennett said, responding to an editorial in The Washington Post complaining about his amendment. "I'm not trying to sneak anything past anybody."
Rules Chairwoman Diane Feinstein, D-Calif., promised Bennett she would hold a hearing on his coordinated campaign bill within the next three months, possibly in April.
The main legislation would force Senate candidates to file campaign reports electronically starting in January 2008. Currently, those candidates - unlike House contenders, White House hopefuls, political parties and political action committees - file their reports on paper, which ultimately have to be manually typed in at a cost of $250,000 a year.
Massie Ritsch, communications director for the nonprofit, nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics, criticized Bennett earlier this week, saying his actions were embarrassing Utah. On Wednesday, Ritsch took a different tone.
"Constituents in Utah should thank their senator for co-sponsoring this bill," Ritsch said. "What better way to thank him than with an e-mail?Electronic mail seems most fitting."
The electronic filing bill passed the Rules Committee on a voice vote.
tburr@sltrib.com
