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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 17, 1980)
National Witness protection program studied ‘Susan B.’ Carelessness and stupid errors cited United Press International WASHINGTON — An indignant senator wants government bureauc rats to explain why witnesses who testify against organized crime have so much trouble with the U.S. Mar shals Service’s protection program. Sen. Sam Nunn, D-Ga., planned to ask three “protected” witnesses today about more shortcomings of the program, which others de nounced Monday as riddled with carelessness and stupid errors, and plagued by lack of top control and inadequate funding. Mrs. Frank Galimano testified that worry over the family’s safety and financial problems caused her husband — a successful contractor until he testified against New York City mobsters in 1978 — to commit suicide last June. “People like the Mafia — they’ve won again,” Mrs. Galimano said bit terly. “We’d get better treatment from them, better protection.” She said her husband repeatedly said, “I was betrayed.” “I wouldn’t want anybody to suffer the way we did,” said her son, Steven, who joined her at the wit ness table. They were screened from the view of cameramen and specta tors, and their new names and loca- > tion were not revealed. Mrs. Galimano said promised ex pert documentation for a new life came too late or never, they had to invent their own new backgrounds, and they got no help in getting cre dit. Galimano was unable to close his new business when their location be came dangerous. Mrs. Galimano said she would not recommend the program to anyone, although many would testify against mobsters if it were improved. “I have to believe that. I don’t think my husband was so unique,” Mrs. Galimano said. But she added, “As it stands now, I wouldn’t allow it.” Her son blamed their troubles on poor administration, not on the mar shals assigned to them. “Every marshal did his job — and well,” Galimano said. “But they can only do so much. I know how they must have felt. They know they should be helping us, but they can’t.” One of the biggest problems, according to Gregory Baldwin, the subcommittee’s assistant counsel, is the Marshals Service’s refusal to help the witnesses get credit, which is im possible without having any past re cords. Baldwin testified that one-fourth to one-third of the witnesses his staff has interviewed voiced serious com plaints. He said many, including some in prison as well as law-abiding witnesses, wished they had not testi fied. Problems included careless errors in documents provided for the wit nesses’ new identities, failure to give witnesses sound advice or live up to promises, and assigning untrained marshals to the sensitive jobs, Bald win said. These shortcomings are com pounded by lack of cooperation from other government agencies, Baldwin said. The Social Security Adminis tration will not routinely transfer payment records to a witness s new number, he said. Although the new birth certifi cates are genuine, reflecting a legal change of name, 13 states, three ter ritories and the District of Columbia refuse to issue them, Baldwin said. Be Sure and Use Your PEOPLE BOOK Before You Go Home For the Holidays! .im, United Press International CHICAGO — A federal investiga tion has found correspondence from thousands of Illinois Medicare pa tients was destroyed by the Electro nic Data Systems Federal Corp. to reduce a backlog of unfulfilled claims, the Chicago Tribune says. A federal investigation into the firm confirms the reports of a former data systems employee who said the company destroyed thousands of let ters and hid thousands more to de ceive federal monitors checking a huge Medicare backlog. Bill Wright, spokesman for EDS of Dallas, which owns EDSF, said no correspondence actually had been lost because all the letters that were thrown away had been recorded on microfilm. The results of the General Accounting Office investigation were to be released today by Rep. Paul Simon, D-Ill., the Tribune said in today’s editions. Medicare patients and others have constantly criticized EDSF for its fai lure to handle claims within a reason able amount of time. Many patients complain their queries or claims have gone unanswered for months since the company won the state’s Medicare contract 20 months ago. The firm has paid more than $1 million in penalties for failing to meet government performance and contract standards. Smithsonian given Kitty Hawk fabric United Press International WASHINGTON — The original muslin fabric that covered one of the wings of the Wright Brothers’ Kitty Hawk Flyer will become part of the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum’s collection. The plane, on display in the lobby of the museum, made the first con trolled, sustained, heavier-than-air flight on Dec. 17, 1903. Orville Wright ordered the ori ginal fabric replaced in 1916 after deciding it had become weather beaten. He kept the original fabric, but most of it was cut up and given away during his lifetime. Ivonette Miller of Dayton, Ohio, a niece of the Wrights and their only surviving relative, presented the fabric to the museum in a ceremony Tuesday. The material measures approxi mately 127 square feet and was used to cover one of the wings. The fabric was a common type of muslin, known as the Pride of the West, bought by the Wrights at a Dayton department store. It “is the only significant portion of the 1903 Flyer that the Smithsonian does not have,” said Noel W. Hin- ners, museum director. Call 846-6714 for correct times 1 ! open 7 15 Times today only' Resurrection IPG) : There is a Hne between life and death Edna McCauley crossed over that line and came back ELLEN BURSTYN SAM SHEPARD 7:30 9:30 Peter Sellers “The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Man Chu” po ENDS TUESDAY! 7:45 9:45 PATHCTK EARTHLINGS... WHO CAN SAVE YOU NOW? DiNoDf MlWNnillv, M ASM CQSOON '.AM ' IIINIS * Wl00» ANEJIRSMN * IIBMi AM l1l VAX VON svnow * tnooi * ii.woimv ■„> i->, MARIANGIIA WlATf).« Kilo * BRIAN SlISSFI) •»■)» tfnVMU aXwZX l + b DOLBY STEREO Goldie Hawn PRIVATE BENJAMIN 7:25 9:45 R STARTS DEC. 19 “Seems Like Old Times” Goldie Hawn Chevy Chase Investigators find Medicare mail destroyed to cut backlog stage return United Press International WASHINGTON-The Susan B. Anthony dollar ne quarter-sized silver coin, may be reincarnated witk. new streamlined "tails.” “ roi ®!t Officials think changing the Anthony dollar’s colorc u biggest drawback by making it easier for the public “ a silver quarter. Treasury Undersecretary Bette Anderson confirmedtW on the color change has been drafted, but said "theUi- within the Treasury Department.” She said the Reagan administration would have to Li gested changes on Capitol Hill, with the new bronze! include a new back design featuring a simple “1” instead? eagle. Wl! “I’m not convinced the legislation has a chance ofbeinena, J ... there is a broad acceptance of the coin,” said Curtl?l director on the House banking subcommittee on ( Anderson thinks it will work. "After all, the onl reap the benefits of reduced minting costs is to make iu Originally, the main reason for the new dollar coin was J money. A dollar bill costs about 2 cents to print and wears otiti] 18 months. A dollar coin costs about 3 cents to produce and M 15 years. Treasury officials predicted initial savings of $4.5millionsy J the prospect for additional economies as more coins were usdl The “Susan B.” bombed after its July 1979 introduction.M half of the 800 million coins minted before production washfel still in storage. Alan Goldman, deputy director of the U.S. Mint, problem is that Americans are not used to paying attention I money. He said high-value coins are successful in foreign«« "The Germans are no more intelligent than we are, huttlieyL to tell the difference between a two-mark and a five-mark coin dj the same size,” Goldman said. Goldman said new technology, not available when the dollar was conceived, will allow' the mint to produce a bronze from an alloy of copper, aluminum and silicon, as oppos current mix of 75 percent copper and 25 percent nickel. But even that has drawbacks. Goldman said the new alloy pj will tamish to an unattractive mustard color. Veteran benefits to be scrutinized United Press International WASHINGTON — Sen. Alan Simpson, R-Wyo., the incoming chairman of the Senate Veterans Committee, could stir up a hornet’s nest if he re-examines the basis on which veterans’ benefits are dis pensed. Simpson, who takes over as com mittee chairman next month when the Republicans gain a majority in the Senate, said he intends to take a hard look at veterans programs, in cluding those that have become sacred cows. The senator said he was thinking about looking into the possibility of providing different levels of GI be nefits “for those who served in the combat theaters of the fray, and those who never left the continental United States — those who might have served baking bread at Camp PHIL ieliminat Beetle Bailey, andtbo5e«l | c ^ an ^ e , ; in Vietnam." " I just think wecandmiB W*tr, tion in benefits," Simpsois®®? 6 ! 65 concedes he is treading E »“ e ' n emotional” territory, wljP*®^ 11111 telling him, “’MyGod.SimJ can t possibly look intofe I U ndeterred, Simpson aikl even going to look into dies'concern veterans care and benefits®! We’re g need. I think we’re going:;* 1 "it start allocating and watcli!|f ! ' , “If i rams.” In the medical area, wants to find a way to W eminent reimbursed for when a private insurer also[ costs, and consider wfiete should be providing medico health problems that are noise related. CAMPUS 210 University 846-6512 Showtimes5:30-7:40-9:50 WHERE THE BUFFALO ROAM § ooooooooooooooooo ■ ★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★ MANOR EAST 3 MANOR EAST MALL 823-8300 PUTT THEATRKS CINEMA l&l! Sunday! 26 poin m 3W loi 1 It cai The [ omen alias Friday and sor Coach will fin, thus fai "Oui N,” s We jui score, every | too qui The p m. I then S State e house. 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