6B
Wednesday, October 5, 1994
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
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Georgia congressional race a wild one
ANALYSIS
DULUTH, Ga. (AP) — Newt Gin-
grish was not amused.
The House minority whip, his dream of becoming the first Republican Speaker of the House since 1954 tantalizingly close, had just crossed paths with his Democratic opponent, Ben Jones. The actor and former two-term congressman may not have much chance of defeating Gingrich, but he's having a ball using aggressive campaign tactics, Gingrich-style.
"Pathetic and childish," sniffed Gingrich. "He uses personal attacks he makes a rap video ... he uses foul language," said Gingrich, his pugnacious face stern.
- Grinning and eyes twinkling, Jones recounted to supporters that Ginghair had greeted him with a glower.
"He's never run against the Cooter before," Jones said, invoking the character he played on the hit TV series "The Dukes of Hazzard." "He's mad because we won't kiss his ring."
To Gingrich's outrage, Jones steadily levels allegations of ethics violations in the Republican's growing network of political, educational and fund-raising operations. Gingrich is riled by a free weekly newspaper quoting Jones directing an obscene suggestion his way.
Unrepentant, Jones says Gingrich calls him a liberal, an epithet in this conservative state: "If he's going to use the L-word. I'll use the F-word."
At home, Gingrich relies on name recognition so high that his campaign signs simply say: "NEWT" and the lure of having a Georgian lead the House.
in 1900 in a 6th District that ran southwest of Atlanta. Democratic redistricters carved up his turf only to see Gingrich jump to the new 6th north of Atlanta, a conservative crescent of suburbs marked by malls, sport-utility vehicles and young working couples receptive to Gingrich's pledge to "transform the welfare state into an opportunity society."
Gingrich eked out a 974-vote victory
Meanwhile, Jones saw his district become "like Tara — gone with the wind" as he got drawn into one that he lost in 1992. But he was encouraged to challenge Gingrich, who won in 1992 with 58 percent after a close primary.
Jones has name recognition and the experience of two earlier hard-fought, uphill races. He tries to portray Gingrich as the well-funded tool of "a far-right-wing cabal." Jones
accepts no contributions of more than $250 and no PAC money, and only recently topped $100,000 in contributions. Gingrich had raised more than $1 million by mid-summer.
Jones' Broadway-connected wife is organizing New York fundraisers to help raise enough money to remit his attention-grabbing MTV-style video, with the hip-hop refrain: "Newt, Newt, Newt — NOT!"
He pledges to keep up the fire on Gingrich, noting his foe's own strategy of ethics attacks on Democrats — "Now he's Polvanna" Jones asked.
Gingrich dismisses ethics complaints against him as the work of "the liberal network trying to smear the messenger because they can't beat the message" and urges supporters to help make history in the Congress.
Vote could clarify school-prayer bill
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — The Senate is poised to settle a dispute between Sens. Nancy Kassebaum and Jesse Helms over how far Congress should go to ensure that students can voluntarily pray in public schools.
The Senate was scheduled to vote today on a motion to force final action on an education-funding bill which contains a school-prayer amendment introduced by Kassebaum, R-Kan.
Helms, R-N.C., has held up the measure for weeks in an attempt to build support for his version of the school prayer amendment, which would cut off federal funds to any
district that prevents voluntary, "constitutionally protected" prayer.
Kassebaum's language also would cut off federal funds, but only if the school district were found to willfully have violated a court order requiring it to permit prayer in schools.
"The courts will ensure that protected prayer is permitted in our schools," Kassebaum said.
In 1962, the Supreme Court ruled that religious activities sponsored by public schools are unconstitutional. But federal courts have issued conflicting rulings about prayers at graduation ceremonies, leading to uncertainty over the issue.
Rostenkowski trial faces possible delay
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Rep. Dan Rostenkowski's fight to dismiss political corruption charges on constitutional grounds could delay his trial for at least a year, one of his lawyers said.
The defense argument that only the House can discipline a member for violating its rules could lead to lengthy federal appeals, perhaps to the Supreme Court.
Rostenkowski was indicted on 17 felony counts May 31. He is charged with converting $636,600 in federal funds and $56,267 in campaign funds to his personal use.
He has pleaded innocent and denied wrongdoing, but under House rules, he was forced to step aside as chairman of the Ways and Means Committee until the case is resolved.
Rostenkowski's arguments rely heavily on the constitutional provision allowing the House and Senate to police violations of their own rules.
Such constitutional arguments have had little recent success in criminal cases against members of Congress. But the defense's chief lawyer, Dan Webb, said in legal motions: "No previous charges ever brought against any member of the United States Congress have ever gone so far in violating the separation of powers doctrine."
The indictment accused the lawmaker of hiring ghost employees, using his official account to buy personal gifts, trading stamps for personal cash at the House Post Office and converting official vehicles to personal use.
WASHINGTON — Agriculture Secretary Mike Espy pledged yesterday to spend his last three months in office preparing a major farm bill, although a widening probe into his conduct promises to be a distraction.
A day after announcing his resignation, Espy was in Kansas City, Mo., promoting a more ethnically diverse Department of Agriculture and speaking to the Kansas City Board of Trade about government policy.
The Associated Press
Inquiry distracts legislation
As Congress was poised to finish work on bills revamping disaster assistance to farmers and reorganizing the Agriculture Department, some farm groups and lawmakers questioned what the loss of Espy will mean for agriculture.
the ultimate test: shaping a farm bill that maps out government policy on everything from conservation to price supports for the next five years.
Until he leaves office Dec. 31, Espy must look over his shoulder at the squad of attorneys and six FBI agents assembled by Donald C. Smaltz, the Los Angeles lawyer appointed by a three-judge panel to investigate him.
Espy is leaving before meeting
Salmitz, the independent counsel, is looking into gifts Espy received from individuals and firms doing business with the department. Since the investigation originated with the department's Office of Inspector General in March, questions have also been raised about Espy's personal use of official travel and vehicles.
Cisneros says resignation unlikely
The Associated Press
political burden for President Clinton.
WASHINGTON—HousingSecretary Henry Cisneros brushed aside speculation yesterday that he might step down because of a federal inquiry into his payments to a former girlfriend.
The question came up a day after another Cabinet member, Agriculture Secretary Mike Espy, was forced from office because of allegations of ethical impropriety.
A senior White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Cismeros had told friends he would willingly leave office if persistent public about the payments to Linda Muddler created a
But Cisneros, secretary of housing and urban development, said he did not tell White House officials he was prepared to resign.
Press Secretary Dee Dee Myers said that was right and that Cisneros continued to "serve with the confidence of the president."
Clinton promised when he took office that he would hold his administration to a higher ethical standard than his Republican predecessors.
Still, two Cabinet resignations so close together would be a political embarrassment for the administration.