Page 4
College Station, Texas
Wednesday, April 6, 1972
THE BATTALK
Legislators hire each others’ relatives to avoid nepotism statute
AUSTIN tSP) _ State officials
are forbidden to hire their rela
tives. But somewhere in the past
members of the House and Sen
ate got the idea it was okay to
hire each other’s relatives.
“It could be we’ve been wrong
all this time,” says Charles
Schnabel, secretary of the Sen
ate.
“It has been a longstanding
practice. I guess it has gotten
out of hand,” says Speaker Ray
ford Price.
The nepotism statute says no
Drill Team
defends title
on April 7
A new kind of Freshman Drill
Team is preparing at A&M for
defense of four straight national
titles in Washington, D. C., April
7.
Observers feel the 1971-72 Fish
Drill Team will go down as one
that made a comeback, digging
up more skill and concentration
when it counted most.
“The team made a slow start,
but once it found itself, it really
spurted ahead,” senior adviser
Louis Ullrich evaluated. The FDT
lost to Texas A&I in the first two
competitions. The turn-around be
gan two weeks ago and reached
full stride at the State of Texas
Championship last weekend.
“The fish will be ready again
for the nationals,” Ullrich prom
ised.
Trophies from Texas’ first state
championship meet for college
teams were presented Wednesday
to the university through Presi
dent Jack K. Williams. The FD'T
swept all first place awards, its
first such accomplishment since
the UT-Austin Scabbard and
Blade meet in 1970.
“I wish the Fish Drill Team its
usual good luck at the national
meet,” Dr. Williams commented,
“and that Washington area Ag
gies will go out and support the
team.”
Chief sponsor J. Malon South
erland said the FDT has been as
signed an early afternoon march
ing slot in the competition, 27th
among 34 men’s teams. Eleven
coed units also will compete.
Commander Mark Roberts of
Killeen will take the FDT on to
the District of Columbia National
Guard Armory floor at 2:50 p.m.
CST. The National Intercollegi
ate ROTC Drill Contest consists
only of the fancy marching phase,
scored by a Washington-head
quartered militai’y unit.
Elections
(Continued from page 1)
least 25 qualified voters in the
city before their name is placed
on the ballot. Before, candidates
did not have to file such a peti
tion.
Amendment 5 changed the
method of recall of councilmen
by voters. Previously the law
said that a petition signed by
40 percent of the voters in any
given ward was enough to recall
a councilman even though they
are elected at-large.
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legislator “shall appoint, or vote
for, or confirm the appointment
of” certain close relatives — or,
and this is the big or—persons
closely related to other members
of the legislature.
No distinction is made between
the House and Senate. They are
considered to be one body—the
legislature.
Under the law, the husband of
a first cousin of a legislator’s
wife is too close.
Violation of the law is a mis-
fine
demeanor punishable by a
of $100 to $1,000.
It has been argued that the
relatives are employes of the
House or Senate and not em
ployees of the legislators, that
they are actually hired by the
speaker or the lieutenant gover
nor or the secretary of the Sen
ate.
Travis County Dist. Atty. Bob
Smith says the courts probably
would call this a subterfuge.
Besides, the speaker freely ad
mits: “The members hire their
own secretaries and assistants.”
The practice has gone unchal
lenged. There are no court de
cisions or attorney general opin
ions on it.
“We’re going to do some work
in this area,” says Smith, the
district attorney.
He suggested a possible solu
tion that avoid prosecution.
“I may talk with the speaker
and the lieutenant governor after
the election and tell them we
haven’t been enforcing this law
but that we’re going to start and
that we’re giving everybody a
chance to clean house,” he said.
Asked why he would wait un
til after the election, he said:
“I'm in a position to ruin people,
and I don’t want to ruin people
just for the sake of ruining peo
ple.”
The most recent relevation of
relative-swapping involves the
children of Sen. David Ratliff of
Stamford and Rep. John Allen of
Longview.
John and Lynnora Ratliff were
paid $15,167 as employes of Allen
over a period of five years.
Peggy and Barbara Allen re
ceived $19,456 over a comparable
period as employes of Ratliff.
Barbara Allen was a student
at Abilene Christian College from
1966 to 1970. Ratliff says she did
research, clipped newspapers and
was subject to call.
John Ratliff worked at the
Sierra Blanca ski area near Rui-
LWAL
doso, N.M., from Nov, ^Bge McG
through March 14, 1972. Eiwon Wi
drew more than ?100 as ■■ary Tui
employe for the final wt<|to the fr
November 1971 and $500 fMic cont
month of February 1972. )use.
The district attorney s; jflcGoverr
agreement to put someo*
the state payroll who will)
work could result in a tj
of conspiracy to commit!
japhrey
lama G<
and S(
laine fa
of state funds, punishable L 0 f the
prison sentence of two Mi
years.
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