By Chris Black

Senator John F. Kerry ambushed Republicans on the Senate Small Business Committee this week to try to force action on the stalled nomination of Fred Hochberg, a New York businessman and son of catalog legend Lillian Vernon, for the No. 2 job at the Small Business Administration.

Kerry rallied other Democrats on the panel to show support for Hochberg and transformed what was to be a routine hearing on the SBA budget into a contentious wrangle.

Republicans have refused to schedule a hearing on Hochberg's nomination and accused him of violating campaign-finance laws because a $ 15,000 "soft money" donation he made to the Democratic National Committee ended up in a "hard money" account, bringing Hochberg's annual contributions over the legal limits.

Hochberg, an MBA as well as a graduate of Harvard's Kennedy School, is the CEO and president of the Lillian Vernon Co. He and his mother, generous Democratic donors, have been overnight guests at the White House.

Senator Christopher "Kit" Bond of Missouri, who is chairman of the committee, said the objection to Hochberg centers on the contribution issue. However, Democrats on the panel and White House aides say the holdup may be because Hochberg is gay and had been co-chairman of the Human Rights Campaign. Another Clinton nominee who is gay, James Hormel, a San Francisco philanthropist and heir to the Hormel meat fortune, has been blocked by three Republican senators from becoming ambassador to Luxembourg.

Kerry's committee ambush failed to break the stalemate, but he thinks Hochberg will get a hearing. Campaign reform shutout for Shays

Representative Christopher Shays, a Republican from Connecticut, wants to see a campaign-finance reform bill pass this year. But he said the House GOP leaders have shut him out of negotiating a compromise measure they could support.

"I am totally out of the loop," said a disheartened Shays. "They feel if they accommodate my concerns," other Republicans won't back the bill, he said.

Shays already is the co-sponsor of a sweeping campaign-finance bill with Representative Martin Meehan, a Lowell Democrat. Their bill would abolish "soft money" contributions, the unlimited and unregulated donations to political parties. The leading GOP bill also does away with soft money, but also contains what opponents dub a "poison pill," a provision that would curtail labor unions from using funds for political activities.

Democrats will not vote for a bill that contains the union provision, and Shays maintains that only a bipartisan bill can pass the House. GOP leaders promised to bring a bill to the House floor by the end of March, but there are indications they might pull the bill to avoid an embarrassing defeat. Presidential aides had this taped

The White House advance staff carefully staged President Clinton's arrival on Capitol Hill this week to tout expanding Medicare to the "near old." The staff marked the floor with tape where the participants should stand - Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala and Senate Democratic leader Thomas Daschle. Representative J. Joseph Moakley, a South Boston Democrat, puzzled over the tape marked "POTUS" and asked, "Who is Senator Potus?" It stands for President of the United States - and the mystery was solved when Clinton stood on his mark. One Republican's Catholic tastes

Senators Patrick Leahy, a Vermont Democrat, and Connie Mack III, a Florida Republican, received leadership awards from the American Ireland Fund at the annual national gala this week. Mack, a former House member, recalled introducing his brother, John, to House Speaker Thomas P. "Tip" O'Neill Jr. As they posed for a photograph, O'Neill discovered that Mack's full name is Cornelius McGillicuddy and that one of his seven siblings is a nun. "You're Irish?" asked a surprised O'Neill. Yes, answered Mack. "You're Catholic?" asked O'Neill. Mack said that was accurate. "Roman Catholic?" queried O'Neill. When Mack replied affirmatively, O'Neill blurted, "How the hell could you be a Republican?"