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

DATE: THURSDAY, August 4, 1994                   TAG: 9408040063
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: |Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Medium

SENIORS GROUP HITS RIVALS ON LOBBYING

A rival group is criticizing the American Association of Retired Persons, the country's largest and most influential seniors group, for lobbying the government at the same time it collects millions of dollars in federal grants.

The Seniors Coalition also is attacking the National Council of Senior Citizens, which like the AARP has been lobbying Congress for health reform and receives federal grant money.

AARP and the national council had condemned The Seniors Coalition in May for raising money from elderly Americans with a direct-mail campaign based on what the complaining organizations considered lies and misinformation about President Clinton's health reform plan.

This week, The Seniors Coalition responded by circulating copies of its rivals' tax forms, which show that AARP received nearly $86 million in federal grants last year and that the national council collected another $68.7 million.

Both groups use the money to hire low-income seniors around the country for public-service jobs. The AARP also gets federal money to provide tax counseling and other assistance to the elderly. Spokesmen for the groups said none of the money is used for lobbying.

Paul Brammell, chief executive officer of The Seniors Coalition, responded that the AARP and the national council are ``deeply and publicly involved in lobbying and political advocacy, raising important questions of conflict of interest.''

``Somebody needs to explain why two private membership organizations, both of which are involved in lobbying up to their eyeballs, are receiving these incredibly huge sums of money from the same government they are trying to influence,'' Brammell said.

``It's fascinating that a group that raises money on the backs of senior citizens is attacking some of the programs we provide to provide assistance to low- and middle-income senior citizens,'' said Peter Ashkenaz, an AARP spokesman.

The Seniors Coalition, based in Northern Virginia, claims 2 million members.

by CNB