ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, January 3, 1997 TAG: 9701030083
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: WASHINGTON
SOURCE: Associated Press
A House ethics subcommittee has a tentative agreement to support a reprimand and other sanctions for Speaker Newt Gingrich, pending developments at an upcoming penalty hearing, sources close to the investigation said Thursday.
A reprimand would allow Gingrich to keep his leadership position if he gets the necessary votes for another term Tuesday.
The four-member subcommittee, which handled the investigation of Gingrich, will make a presentation at a public sanctions hearing, as will the speaker's counsel. That hearing will take place after Tuesday's speaker's election. Gingrich, who took over when the GOP took control of the House at the start of the 104th Congress in 1995, is campaigning hard to win a second term.
House Democratic Whip David Bonior, who is not on the ethics committee, said it was ``inaccurate and untrue'' that an agreement was reached in the subcommittee to recommend a reprimand.
However, other sources said a reprimand would be part of the subcommittee's recommendation - as would other sanctions. But, the sources said, it would depend on unspecified developments at the hearing.
The sources spoke only on condition they not be publicly identified.
Gingrich, R-Ga., acknowledged violating House rules by failing to seek proper legal advice on use of tax-exempt contributions for possibly political purposes; and by providing inaccurate statements to the ethics committee about the role of his political organization, GOPAC, in the tax-exempt projects.
A resolution of reprimand - reserved for serious violations - falls short of a tougher censure resolution, although both would require a vote on the floor on whether to rebuke Gingrich for bringing discredit upon the House.
The sources, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity, said Gingrich's defense team negotiated on terms of the punishment as part of the speaker's admission Dec. 21 that he violated House rules.
It could not immediately be learned what other sanctions the subcommittee is supporting. Possibilities include a fine or any other punishment the panel deemed appropriate.
Both a censure and a reprimand involve a vote by the full House to criticize a member's conduct. However, the censure vote is supplemented by rules of both parties that would force the censured member to step aside from a committee chairmanship or leadership post.
Politically, a reprimand would mean the only thing that could knock Gingrich out of his post would be defections from his own party.
The Republican leadership has been making a huge effort to convince nervous members to vote for Gingrich.
Rep. Bill Paxon, R-N.Y., past chairman of the House Republican campaign organization, said the speaker has been making calls personally to the rank-and-file.
``His intention is to talk to all members'' and he's been doing this for the last week or two, Paxon said. He said the conversations aren't all about the ethics case, although the subject ``certainly heightens the interest. He's trying to listen to what's on members' minds. He's been totally focused on calling members and working for his re-election.''
At least 19 Republicans have expressed uncertainty about Gingrich's re-election. And GOP Rep. Michael Forbes of New York has said he opposes Gingrich as speaker.
Friday, the leadership will hold its second conference call this week for rank-and-file members, to convince them that nothing Gingrich has done warrants removing him as speaker.
The investigative subcommittee of two Republicans and two Democrats reports to the six ethics committee members who were not part of the investigation. The 10-member full committee, five Republicans and five Democrats, recommends punishment to the entire House.
The ethics committee said it would convene in executive session Wednesday to receive the findings of the investigative panel. There will be a public hearing on sanctions soon afterward, followed by a recommendation by the full committee.
The case will end by Jan.21, the committee said.
LENGTH: Medium: 79 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: (headshot) Gingrich. color.by CNB