Clinton Church Event Was Political Fund-Raiser, Newspaper Charges.

President Bill Clinton's pre-election appearance at a Baltimore church was used as a political fund-raising opportunity by a Democratic member of Congress, the Los Angeles Times has charged.

Two days before the November election, Clinton spoke at Sunday morning worship services at New Psalmist Baptist Church, where he urged the more than 2,000 African-American parishioners to be sure to vote. Clinton mentioned the accomplishments of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Pards Glendening as the incumbent and other prominent Democrats sat beaming in the pews.

The event was characterized by the news media as a political rally intended to ensure a large turnout of Democratic-leaning African-American voters. Americans United reported the incident to the Internal Revenue Service, charging that the rally violated the ban on partisan politicking by churches and other tax-exempt groups. Church officials denied any wrongdoing.

Now the Times reports that U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), a New Psalmist church member who helped organize the Clinton visit, solicited $1,000 contributions from some donors to attend the Sunday service and a private reception with Clinton afterward on church grounds.

Cummings aide Vernon Simms said the fund-raising was necessary to pay for the cost of the Clinton visit. The presidential visit was deemed "political," not governmental, so government funds could not be used.

Simms said the church mansion where the reception was held was rented from the church for the event.