
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, July 26, 1990                   TAG: 9007260291
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: The Washington Post
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Medium

SENATE DENOUNCES DURENBERGER

The Senate, solemnly judging one of its own for the first time in more than a decade, voted without dissent Wednesday night to denounce Sen. Dave Durenberger, R-Minn., for "clearly and unequivocally unethical conduct" in his financial dealings.

Heeding the unanimous recommendation of its ethics committee, the Senate also ordered the 54-year-old lawmaker - once regarded as one of the rising stars of the Senate and the Republican Party - to pay more than $120,000 in restitution for improper honoraria and Senate travel reimbursements.

Durenberger is the ninth senator to be denounced, condemned or otherwise censured by the Senate in its more than 200 years of history and the first since Herman Talmadge, D-Ga., was denounced in 1979 for financial irregularities.

The vote was 96 to 0, with Durenberger and his Minnesota Republican colleague, Sen. Rudy Boschwitz, voting present. When the vote was over, senators came in a steady stream to Durenberger's desk to shake his hand; some of his Republican colleagues, appearing to be near tears, embraced him.

Although he had argued earlier for a less serious reprimand, Durenberger did not contest the disciplinary action, regarded as one of the most severe the Senate can impose. He later characterized the verdict as a "fair conclusion."

While a number of Republican senators sharply criticized the ethics procedure as unduly protracted and weighted toward accusers, committee Vice Chairman Warren B. Rudman, said the evidence in the case was "unassailable, irrefutable."

Sitting impassively through a series of speeches denouncing his financial misconduct but lauding many aspects of his 12-year legislative record, Durenberger rose after the vote to express his regret and pledged to make amends.

"To my colleagues here, who know me and work with me, I would just say how deeply sorry I am for the painful - and necessary - experience we've just been through and for the extra burden my misconduct has placed on each of you," he said grimly.

by CNB