THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, June 17, 1994 TAG: 9406170556
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: FROM WIRE REPORTS
DATELINE: 940617 LENGTH: WASHINGTON
To wit: $562 worth of towels and bathrobes, some with an insignia from the carrier George Washington, the Norfolk-based ship that ferried President Clinton, 40 White House aides and 23 members of the White House press corps across the English Channel.
{REST} A memo sent to White House aides Thursday instructs them to reimburse the Navy for ``13 blue towels with GW insignia, $11 each; 4 GW bathrobes with insignia, $35 each; 12 plain white bathrobes, $15 each; 55 white towels, $1.80.''
``As you know, the ship and the U.S. Navy served as our gracious hosts during this trip,'' said the memo, written by Isabella Tapia and Michael Lufrano of the White House Office of Scheduling and Advance. ``They provided these items for our use, not as souvenirs. They have requested reimbursement of $562 from the White House for the above items.''
It's not clear who filched the items. A senior administration official said the memorandum will also be distributed to members of the news media.
In the meantime, Ricki Seidman, head of the scheduling office, wrote a $562 personal check to the military to make sure the taxpayers are not out any money.
With memories of a White House aide's helicopter golf outing still fodder for talk show jokes, the case of the missing towels was not exactly what the White House needed. A Republican member of Congress who obtained a copy of the memorandum delightedly appended it to a press release headlined, ``WHITE HOUSE STAFF STEALS FROM AIRCRAFT CARRIER.''
``This is more than just petty theft, it is a continuation of an attitude which has been put forth from day one with this White House,'' said Rep. Dan Burton, R-Ind.
The White House staff said if the robes and towels were missing, they were sure it was part of a mix-up. It seems the staff had forked over $11 for foot thongs to use in the shower and a toiletries kit and found the robes and towels alongside on their stateroom beds.
Some staff may have assumed they were part of the deal - after all, free baseball caps, T-shirts and other such goodies are routinely showered on the White House staff and the reporters who travel with them.
White House communication director Mark Gearan said there was ``some confusion over what was covered in the cost and which items were complimentary.''
If there was confusion, no such individuals could be located Thursday, and officials said no staffers had yet come forward with their checks.
by CNB