6A=THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WEDNESDAY, APRIL3, 2002
NEWS
Chicago governor's aides charged with racketeering
The Associated Press
CHICAGO — Gov. George Ryan's campaign committee and two top former aides were charged yesterday with racketeering in the biggest indictment to come out of a four-year federal investigation into a licenses-for-bribes scheme when he was secretary of state.
Also charged was Richard Juliano, 34, who served as a top campaign aide to the governor before becoming the U.S. Transportation Department's liaison to the White House. Prosecutors said he resigned from that job last week.
Prosecutors have said about $170,000 ended up in Ryan's campaign fund. The Republican governor, who decided not to seek a second term after the scandal hurt his popularity, has not been charged with wrongdoing.
Scott Fawell, Ryan's top aide when he was secretary of state and the manager of Ryan's successful 1998 campaign for governor, was charged with racketeering, mail fraud and conspiracy to obstruct justice.
The indictment said the two men were part of a racketeering enterprise in which Ryan's campaign committee illegally used state workers for political purposes.
"The indictment alleges that Citizens for Ryan, as a campaign, for a number of years broke the law with considerable vigor." U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald said. "Public funds were stolen and plundered for political benefit."
Federal prosecutors said the primary goal was to illegally use secretary of state employees for campaign activities, performing official acts as a way of helping the campaign and concealing certain campaign activities from public exposure and possible prosecution.
Fawell and others were behind the creation of false documents in the secretary of state's office to justify pay raises and promotions for employees in return for the campaign work they performed, according to the indictment.
The investigation has already resulted in the conviction of some 40 defendants including at least 20 current and former employees of the secretary of state's office.
Book argues children deprived of realistic information on sex
The Associated Press
NEW YORK - A month before its publication, a provocative book about children's sexuality is being denounced by conservatives as evil and prompting angry calls for action against the University of Minnesota Press.
The book, Harmful to Minors: The Perils of Protecting Children From Sex, argues that young Americans, though bombarded with sexual images, are often deprived of realistic advice about sex.
Publisher after publisher rejected the book — one called its contents "radioactive" — before the University of Minnesota Press accepted the manuscript a year ago. Levine writes in her introduction, "In America today, it is nearly impossible to publish a book that says children and teenagers can have sexual pleasure and be safe too."
"What's happening to me is a perfect example of the very hysteria that my book is about," New York-based author Judith Levine said.
Levine has been working on the book since the mid-1990s.
Officials at the Minnesota press knew the book would be controversial; they had the manuscript reviewed by five academic experts, instead of the usual two, to be sure it was based on sound research.
With the recent scandals involving clergy and young people, she admits it's a particularly challenging time to make her case that American youth are entitled to safe, satisfying sex lives.
Still, the uproar exceeded expectations after the book was condemned on conservative Internet sites.
Levine argues that abstinence-only sex education is misguided. She suggests adults exaggerate the threats of pedophilia and molestation to deny young people positive sexual experiences.
"We've never seen anything quite this angry," said Douglas Armato, press director. "The book isn't actually out yet. What people are reacting to is not the book itself, but the idea of the book."
"Squeamish or ignorant about the facts, parents appear willing to accept the pundits worst conjectures about their children's sexual motives," Levine writes.
Argument interrupts corruption court case
The Associated Press
"Stop interrupting, Congressman!" U.S. District Judge Lesley Wells shouted during an argument over a witness Traficant wanted to call.
CLEVELAND — The corruption trial of Rep. James A. Traficant Jr. ground to a halt yesterday when the judge pounded her hand and shouted for order, and the congressman stormed out of the courtroom.
Traficant, 60, is accused of taking kickbacks from staff members and accepting gifts and free labor from businessmen for his political help. The charges carry up to 63 year in prison.
The nine-term Democrat is defending himself even though he is not a lawyer.
Yesterday, Wells refused to let Traficant call the judge who presided over his 1983 racketeering trial. The congressman also defended himself in that case and was acquitted.
Traficant said he wanted U.S. District Judge Ann Aldrich to testify about missing evidence in the earlier case and about her interview with FBI agents who investigated him.
Wells said Aldrich's testimony would be irrelevant. As Traficant argued, he repeatedly cut Wells off until she pounded her hand on the bench and velled at him.
Traficant also asked to call a staff member to introduce a photo enlargement. He flew into a rage when Wells said the photo could be entered without the testimony, and he stormed out of the courtroom to retrieve his witness.
"Goodbye, Congressman,
Wells said to his empty chair.
The KU School of Fine Arts and Kansas Union present
Brown Bag Classics
Make your lunch a classic. Join the Music & Dance Department for free, noon-time performances. Just bring your lunch because drinks are on the Kansas Union.
January 23 Pirates Review
January 30 Vince Gnojek, Saxophone
February 6 KU Horn Ensemble
February 13 Instrumental Collegium Music
February 27 KU Harmonie
March 6 Keith Wright, Flute
March 13 Amir Khosrowpour, Piano
March 27 Pamela Hinchman Voice Studio
April 3 Melanie Hadley, Piano
April 10 Paul Stevens, Horn
April 17 KU Saxophone Quartets
April 24 KU Tuba, Euphonium Consort
May 8 BA Woodwind Quintet
Wednesdays, 12:30 pm to 1 pm, Alderson Auditorium, Level 4, Kansas Union
Plano courtesy of Vaccaro's Plano and Organ of Overland Park
School of Fine Arts
University of Kansas
FAIR HOUSING SEMINAR
Sponsored by the City of Lawrence Human Relations / Human Resources Department and the Housing and Urban Development Kansas City Fair Housing Office
- learn how to avoid credit pitfalls
- preserve your future options
- a great way to educate yourself and network with other student leaders
The Lawrence Alliance (and it's KU Coalition) are organizations that encourage diversity and oppose discrimination. Be part of our fair housing month activities!
KS UNION: FRIDAY APRIL $ 5^{\mathrm{th}} $ ,1pm to 4pm
The event is free and some professors may award extra credit for attendance
1:00 pm Kansas Union Alderson Auditorium: SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKER
1:35-2:15
- "Good Credit and Auto Buying" Michelle Stizza, Free State Credit Union (Alderson)
2:10—2:40
- "Financial Issues for Low Income Families"Sister Therese Bangert, Archdiocese of Kansas and Kansas City (Alderson)
- "Kansas Residential Landlord and Tenant Act and Fair Housing" Cornell Mayfield,Housing and Credit Counseling Inc. (Parlors)
2:50-3:30
- "Budgeting, Banking, and Consumer Lending" Ernesto Hodison, Douglas County Bank (Alderson)
- "Smart Credit" Deborah Johnston, Capitol Federal Savings (Parlors)
PARTNER CAMPS US UNIONATION
• KU Black Student Union
PARTNER CAMPUS ORGANIZATIONS
- KU Off Campus Living Resource Center
- KU African Students Association
- Lawrence Alliance KU Coalition
ALSO: 4/20/02 CITY FAIR HOUSING SEMINAR; 8:30-3:30 @ DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY BUILDING
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