News In Brief

3rd-party woman candidate granted matching US funds

The Federal Election Commission announced Thursday that it has approved $140, 000 in campaign matching funds for Citizens Party presidential contender Sonia Johnson, making her the first third-party candidate to receive federal matching funds.

The action came after the commission determined ''that Ms. Johnson's campaign met the $100,000 threshold criteria - raising at least $5,000 in 20 different states, in amounts of no more than $250 from any one individual contributor,'' a statement said.

Ms. Johnson told reporters her campaign's aims included ''beginning unilateral disarmament, cutting the military budget, ending military intervention in other countries, stopping violence against women, instituting genuine human rights for all disenfranchised groups.''