Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, March 20, 1992 TAG: 9203200331
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: GREG EDWARDS
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
George Bell of Blacksburg, one of three Republican candidates seeking Boucher's House seat, struck back Thursday at Boucher's defense of his votes on the banking scandal.
Earlier this week, Bell charged that Boucher had voted against full disclosure in the banking scandal. But, said Boucher, Bell's charge was a "complete falsehood."
Bell said Thursday that the record of Boucher's votes "tells a different story." But Boucher responded that Bell was misrepresenting those votes.
Boucher's vote late last Friday was for a partial disclosure, Bell said. The action approved by the majority of the House called for listing the names of congressmen who had bounced checks and the number of checks bounced, but not their amounts, he said.
Boucher voted against a motion by Rep. Mickey Edwards, R-Okla., on Friday that the full account records of all congressman be reconstructed and publicly disclosed, Bell said.
But the Edwards' proposal asked for the impossible, Boucher said. The proposal was poorly written and would have required that the records be provided by Sunday, something that physically could not have been done, he said.
Both Republicans and Democrats voted against Edwards's motion, Boucher said. "I have plenty of company in that."
Boucher said he supports disclosing the amount of the checks and would vote for a resolution that would require that. But Edwards' proposal contained too many impractical requirements, he said.
Democrats and Republicans, including three former congressmen who are members of President Bush's cabinet, have been caught up in the banking scandal.
It involved congressmen writing checks on a now-closed House-operated bank when they did not have sufficient funds in their accounts. The number of such checks written by some congressmen ran into the hundreds.
Boucher disclosed Tuesday that he found out from the House Standards Committee that he had overdrawn his House bank account by $4,000 for one day two years ago.
The problem occurred, he said, when he transferred his paycheck from the House bank to his personal account in Abingdon.
"It looks like they sent the check to the Abingdon bank a day too early," he said.
Bell said disclosure of the check amounts is important. One congressman bounced only three checks but for a total of $100,000, he said. Bell suggested that some bounced checks may have constituted illegal campaign loans.
Bell is vying with Gary Weddle and Lew Sheckler, both of Radford, for the Republican nomination to challenge Boucher this fall. The 9th District GOP will pick its candidate at a convention in Wytheville on May 23.
Boucher has not yet announced for re-election and says he likes to keep political events in the proper season. But he said no one should be surprised when he does make an announcement.
In a letter dated March 9, Boucher made a plea to supporters for money to help beat back a Republican attack this fall.
"I'm sure you have read about the negative campaign they have already launched, long on name-calling and lacking in substance," Boucher wrote. "I need your help to respond."
by CNB