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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 25, 1984)
Page 18/The BattalionThursday, October 25, 1984 Doggett and Gramm trade accusations about ethics United Press International AUSTIN — Senate candidates Lloyd Doggett and Phil Gramm, un able to reach a truce in their increas ingly bitter campaign, accused each other of unethical campaign prac tices again Wednesday. Gramm accused Doggett of reach ing “an all-time low in Texas poli tics” by taping a telephone conversa tion between the two candidates and releasing the tape to the press. Meanwhile, Doggett said Gramm may be facing “a very serious char ge” by improperly reporting cam paign contributions and expendi tures. Gramm’s June 30 campaign re port stated that he had $39,2.59 in cash and no debts. However, a later report showed that Gramm received more than $110,000 in Republican primary contributions from 108 individuals and five political action committees. The late primary contributions would be legal only if they went to ward paying a primary campaign debt. “I’ve not had a chance to study the situation in detail, but it sounds to me like taking $110,000 in illegal campaign contributions is a very se rious charge,” Doggett said. “I want to look at it further.” Gramm’s campaign staff said their campaign finance reports were proper. “We have accepted a number of primary contributions to retire bills still coming in,” said Larry Neal, a spokesman for the Gramm cam paign. “Our attorney assures us that the Doggett campaign’s allegations are fundamental nonsense.” If an examination shows a book keeping problem, an amended re port will be filed to differentiate be tween the primary and general elector! accounts, Neal said. Meanwhile, Gramm continued his criticism of Doggett for taping a tele phone conversation the two had Tuesday evening. Gramm said the taping was unethical and a possible violation of State Bar of Texas guidelines. Doggett denied that contention and said the taping was necessary to verify Gramm’s statements. Gramm was appearing on a tele vision call-in show in Victoria when Doggett called the station to speak with Gramm. “You bet I taped it,” Doggett said. “I intended it to be broadcast throughout the Victoria listening area.” During the conversation, Doggett told Gramm that he had canceled television ads that mentioned Gramm by name and called on Gramm to do the same. Doggett, an Austin state senator, and Gramm, a College Station con gressman, have criticized each oth er’s broadcast advertisements, each accusing the other of distorting facts, using quotes out of context and lying. Monday, Gramm called on Dog gett to stop airing the negative tele vision ads and instead to concentrate on issues and on each man’s voting record. Doggett accepted Gramm’s sug gestion on the condition that the two meet in a face-to-face debate — a challenge Gramm rejected. “Doggett wanted to ask him if he was going to live up to the agreement to take the high road in the campaign and stop all the neg ative attacks,” Doggett press secre- r saia.“T’ tary Bill Collier said.“There is noth ing unethical about it (the taping).” However, Gramm still maintained taping the call was improper. “I believe the action of Lloyd Dog gett in secretly taping a telephone conversation with me was another example of the unethical behavior which Mr. Doggett has exhibited through the primary election, the runof f election and now in the gen eral election,” Gramm said. Benefit increase detailed United Press International WASHINGTON — Thirty- seven million Social Security re cipients will receive a 3.5 percent increase in benefits in January, which will boost checks for the typical retired worker by $15. The increase in monthly benefits will vary: — A retired worker, now get ting $434, will get $449 — $15 more. — A worker retiring this year at 65 and entitled to maximum benefits, now at $703, will get $728—$25 more. — A retired couple, now ting $750, will get $776 — more. — An aged widow, now getting $401, will get $415 — $ 14 more. — A mother and two children, now getting $955, will get $988 — $33 more. — A disabled worker, now get ting $457, will get $473 — $16 more. — A disabled worker, wife and child, now getting $863, will get $893 — $30 more. — A single person on Supple mental Security Income, now get ting a maximum of $314, will get $325 —$ 11 more. i26 Lady Bird raises funds for wildflower center United Press International HOUSTON — Lady Bird John son Wednesday raised another $150,000 toward a $3 million goal to operate her National Wildfiower Re search Genter and also got support from state and federal officials for her highway beautification program. The wife of the late President Lyndon B. Johnson attended a fund-raising dinner at the River Oaks Country Club to sign up addi tional pledges after telling reporters she just got a $52,700 grant from a Dallas foundation, $10,000 from the American Conservation Association in Williamsburg, Va., and $50,000 from the Lanier Foundation of Houston. She said Wednesday’s donation met more than half of her $ 1.5 mil lion goal in Texas. She intends to raise another $ 1.5 million in the rest of the country. Two years ago, on her 70th birth day, the former first lady donated $125,000 and 60 acres of prime land on the Colorado River east of Austin to begin the National Wildfiower Re search Center to study the 25,000 species of wildflowers that grow in trie United States and to encourage developers to incorporate the native plants into their developments. She is credited with inspiring pas sage of the National Highway Beau tification Act during her late hus band’s term and with encouraging Good friends won’t leave you flat. The moon was up, the stars were out and—pfftt! —your rear tire was down. Good thing there was a phone nearby. And a few good friends who were willing to drive a dozen miles, on a Saturday night, to give you a lift. When you get back, you want to do more than just say “thanks!" So tonight, let it be Lowenbrau. Lowenbrau. Here’s to good friends. Texas officials to beautify iu sands of miles of highways. “I began this because nature,ij flowers, plants, trees have given * a lot of job and sustenance!;, spirit-lifting moments allmyU Johnson said at a news confer; ce.“Also, 1 have noticed in jus brief half century of lookinfartm me that this world is sure Ikj with folks and all those open In and meadows and spaces that I ij| as a university student back in lij are now grids of houses and st ping malls and lots and lotsothij ways.” The purpose of the centerii| encourage the use of native vj lowers, plants and trees in thelai scaping patterns of the countn, said. Sen. Lloyd Bentsen, D-Tea pearing with Johnson, also nounced he expects final passi;: an amendment to the Nat Highway Act requiring fourth of 1 percent of the ft highway budget lie used to J ikH wild flowers. And Bob Lanier, chairaianoll Texas Highway Commission,J his agency would spend moreiU $3 million over the nexttwovean;k stalling native plants along ways. “If we'd done this lOtoljJ ago, the entire state would loolSL million acre park," Laniersaid. Bf 6 ' K . 1 Tfxas A early Auj ttorn Frozen RentalsBAppea jiust rec< Daily Rental Jan on Frozen MargaritaMachiiil 0 ^^ Rid ■ wan Bryan, TX 846-0179 the appt Jlurt —fc" 1 "' " 1 ITT ... USffstaiv fun ATRES tSSJ'r'' ; ‘•trcijri.rinTTsrti i thc fut\4“ “Isel LjlKiiZny EEDfcon.. i. mCOLLEOfN mm™ I ImTHdUU « uals (j SKrtlM’s go onSf ;i stau ‘ MtCMAf l POUQtAt Romancing TSe SfiMf ^ DAMHV PtVTTO ^ null R U’M .•*» BILL Mill KHl TH RA2 ISl Upstairs’ Jewelers T 1 JT "HOUSTON’S 47th Sf TERMIK aApeoiAwt $ ■ a. SHOW SAT. WDjWlBL CA -MONnAvnAHUffl'Srff -’"I nxsoAY-no(row^^, -mon.-wtj). Fonujnjv; (j (XKRKNT CD. TO WAR terior r 775*2463 ^the arn ; and tw< Kill | TEACHERS ^ nappm; j Jerzv Pc GABRIELA RkvtfsSnr ’ Intel THE NERDS J zak ' in wide t wit, PURPLE RAIN fee. wc ') tention CRIMES OF PASSf I THE BEAR aE IRRECONCILABLE DIFFERENCES J ■I DAT p hurst I ALL OF ME Jhe q, ditnin; SONGWRITER ^ nine ol ^—s, Worth /FINDIf $20.;) „ LAlv mem a IN THE