Deal comments on campaign finance reform bill

WASHINGTON - Congressman Nathan Deal of Gainesville explained Thursday morning why he voted against the campaign finance reform bill that passed the House a few hours earlier.

While he says there is a need for campaign finance reform, Deal says the bill that passed the House early Thursday was one that he just could not support.

"Simply because too many agreements had been made in order to get individual votes," Deal said. "And, in the process of doing that, they had changed the initial intent of the legislation significantly."

Deal added he doesn't expect any compromise will be "changed enough" to change his mind on the bill.

Deal was back in his office by 9:30 Thursday morning - just six-and-a-half hours after the 3:00 a.m. vote which followed a marathon debate.