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A daily dose of online news from beyond the Beltway.
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State Legislatures Turn Violent in Fla., Ariz.
By Ryan Thornburg
Washingtonpost.com Staff
Friday, April 10, 1998
Less than three months after a California lawmaker accosted an aide, violence erupted this week in the Florida and Arizona state legislatures. Arizona House Minority Leader Art Hamilton, a Democratic candidate for secretary of state, apologized Tuesday for accosting a legislative aide the previous day. And on Thursday, two lawmakers got into it over school vouchers on the floor of the Florida House of Representatives.
"He told me I was a jackass. He said it three times.... I said, 'I guess you're looking in the mirror.'"
– Fla. state Rep. Carlos Valdes, on Thursday's fist-fight with fellow Rep. Jorge Rodriguez-Chomat. (The Miami Herald, April 10)
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 Disorder in the House (Miami Herald,
April 10)
Ethics Committee Looks Into Shoving (The Arizona Republic, April 9)
Hamilton Apologizes for Shove (The Arizona Republic, April 8)
Fighting for His Constituents? (Early Returns, Jan. 30)
La. Judge Says FREE Seminar Not Wrong
U.S. District Judge James Trimble of Louisiana, responding to a story in Thursday's Washington Post, said there was nothing wrong with attending a five-day seminar on property rights and the environment paid for by conservative groups with land cases before the federal courts. Trimble said plenty of "tree-huggers" were on the retreats as well, and that the accommodations were not luxurious. He said he spent five cold nights with former Texaco chairman Alfred DeCrane Jr. in a cabin heated only by a pot-bellied stove.
Trimble: Nothing Wrong With Attending Seminar (The Advocate, Baton Rouge, La., April 10)
Issues Groups Fund Seminars for Judges (The Post, April 9)
Rep. Hyde Testifies for Abortion Foe in Racketeering Case
Rep. Henry Hyde (R-Ill.) told a federal court Thursday that abortion clinics were like Nazi concentration camps. He was testifying on behalf of anti-abortion activist Joseph Scheidler, who is accused of conspiring to shut down abortion clinics.
Hyde Likens Abortion Clinics to Death Camps (Chicago Tribune, April 10)
Riggs Quits California Senate Race
Republican Rep. Frank Riggs said Thursday that he was giving up his Senate run. Riggs entered the race late and suffered from a money shortage. State Treasurer Matt Fong and businessman Darrell Issa remain in the GOP race for a chance to unseat Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer.
GOP Hopeful Riggs Quits Race for Senate (San Francisco Chronicle, April 10)
Riggs' Money Woes Kill Longshot Bid for U.S. Senate (The Los Angeles Times, April 10)
Kevorkian Lawyer Says He Wants to Be Michigan Governor
Michigan Democrat Geoffrey Fieger, best known as the attorney for Jack Kevorkian, said Thursday that he would definitely run to oust Republican Gov. John Engler.
Fieger Vows Run in Governor's Race (The Detroit News, April 10)
Democrat to Run Gov. Bush's Texas TV Spots
As Texas Democrats run from their party's gubernatorial candidate like elephants who've seen a mouse, a top aide to former Democratic Gov. Ann Richards joined the reelection campaign of Republican Gov. George Bush to produce television ads.
Ex-Democratic Adviser Joins Bush Campaign (Austin American-Statesman, April 10)
S.C. Senate Folds Its Hand on Gambling
As the constitutionality of video poker machines headed to the South Carolina Supreme Court, the state Senate gave up efforts to break a three-week filibuster on the issue.
Senate Folds (The State, Columbia, S.C., April 9)
Poker's Fate: High Court Holds Cards (The State, Columbia, S.C., April 9)
Clinton Ratings an Inspiration to Packwood?
Former senator Bob Packwood (R-Ore.), ousted over allegations of sexual misconduct, thinks the climate might be right for his return to public office. "I'm putting my toe in the water," he told the Associated Press.
Packwood Considers a Political Comeback (The Oregonian, April 9)
Barnes First on TV in Georgia Governor Race
Democratic state Rep. Roy Barnes became the first Georgia gubernatorial candidate to launch a television campaign Wednesday night. He's hoping to get a head start on Republican multi-millionaire Guy Millner.
First Democrat Launches TV Ads in Gubernatorial Campaign (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, April 9)
Illinois Organ Donor Ads Operate as Campaign Boosters
Illinois Secretary of State and Republican gubernatorial candidate George Ryan is getting a boost from starring in public service ads asking people to become organ donors.
Ads Seeking Organ Donors Star Ryan, Candidate for Governor (The Post-Dispatch, St. Louis, Mo., April 9)
Dellums's Replacement Outlines Priorities
California Democratic congresswoman-elect Barbara Lee said she is ready to pick up where her veteran predecessor, Ron Dellums, left off.
Ron Dellums' Replacement Is Raring to Go (San Francisco Chronicle, April 9)
Political Money Roundup
Money is making political news in all sorts of ways this week.
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge has spent 15 times more than all four Democratic contenders for his office.
Nevada Republican gubernatorial candidate Aaron Russo is suing his party to lower its convention registration fees from $150 to $20.
Ohio Secretary of State and Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob Taft told the state elections commission that he had mistakenly violated a fund-raising limit.
Louisiana lawmakers killed a bill that would have required political donors to identify their occupations in campaign finance records.
Connecticut's two campaign finance enforcers are having a tough time keeping up with the expected 10,000 reports of individual contributions.
Democrats Still Behind in Quest for Cash (The Inquirer, Philadelphia, April 9)
GOP Gubernatorial Candidate Sues Party, Says Fee Too High (Las Vegas Review-Journal, April 9)
Bob Taft 'Turns Himself In' Over Election-Law Violation (The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, April 9)
Bill Killed to Make Campaign Contributors List Occupations (The Advocate, Baton Rouge, La., April 9)
State Watchdogs Face Uphill Battle (The Hartford Courant, Conn., April 9)
Ryan Thornburg can be reached at ryan.thornburg@washingtonpost.com
© Copyright 1998 The Washington Post Company
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