THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, January 4, 1995 TAG: 9501040396
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DAVID M. POOLE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Short : 47 lines
One of the General Assembly's most powerful Democrats has entered a nasty little quarrel with the governor's spokesman, setting the tone for a battle over the state budget when the legislature convenes Jan. 11.
Senate Majority Leader Hunter B. Andrews, D-Hampton, on Tuesday demanded an apology from Allen press secretary Ken Stroupe, who last week referred to Andrews and other Democratic legislators as ``tax-raising, fat-cat career politicians.''
``I think that's uncalled-for,'' an incensed Andrews told the Senate Finance Committee. ``In all my years, I have never had a person in that position go out of their way in such language criticizing responsible chairmen and members of the General Assembly.''
Stroupe issued a response dipped in sarcasm.
``I sincerely apologize if I have actually offended the sensibilities of Sen. Hunter Andrews,'' he said. ``I was shocked to learn that I, apparently, am the first such person during his more than three decades of service in the Virginia Senate to so affront the distinguished Senator.''
Andrews replied, ``It's not exactly my definition of an apology. In some ways that's worse than the original statement.''
The spat began a few days after Christmas, when the chairmen of the three legislative committees that handle state finances demanded that the Republican governor specify how he would pay for a proposed $2 billion tax cut.
The chairmen - Andrews and delegates Robert B. Ball of Richmond and C. Richard Cranwell of Roanoke County, all Democrats - said in a letter that the public deserved to know what services the state would do without in exchange for tax savings of about $300 a year for a family of four.
Stroupe told the Richmond Times-Dispatch that the request for future cuts was nothing more than a ploy by ``tax-raising, fat-cat, career politicians'' out to protect pet projects.
After Tuesday's dust-up, Andrews noted that the administration still has not answered the question. ILLUSTRATION: Andrews
KEYWORDS: DISPUTE HUNTER ANDREWS KEN STROUPE by CNB