Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, March 7, 1992 TAG: 9203070224
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DANIEL HOWES STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
But, then, the Old Dominion's Representatives are squeaky clean on this one - and each has a letter from the House sergeant at arms to prove it.
Less certain, aides said Friday, is whether it would be right to support a Republican plan to release the names of all 355 current and former members who, at one time or another, wrote a rubber check.
All 10 of Virginia's congressmen were traveling in their respective districts Friday and could not be reached, their press secretaries said.
But that doesn't mean the lawmakers don't have opinions on a story leading the newscasts and covering the front pages of newspapers across the country. This is a big election-year story, a House aide said, and the members are nervous.
Rep. Herbert Bateman, R-Newport News, backs the recommendation to disclose the names of the 24 most serious offenders, an aide said. And he favors publishing the full list of check bouncers - so long as the offenders are listed by categories and not all lumped together.
Earlier this week, Rep. L.F. Payne, D-Nelson County, told reporters he favored "full disclosure" in connection with the flap. Likewise, Rep. Jim Olin, D-Roanoke, whose press secretary faxed the newspaper a copy of Olin's letter from the sergeant at arms.
Several Virginia lawmakers made only limited use of the House bank, and one - Rep. George Allen, R-Charlottesville - got to Congress after the Hill perk was abolished by the House leadership last fall.
Rep. Tom Bliley, R-Richmond, "used it minimally," an aide said. "A lot of members used it as a place to get cash. And he's never bounced a check - in his life, he told me when we were discussing this."
Staff writer Ben Beagle contributed to this report.
by CNB