Leader-Telegram from Eau Claire, Wisconsin • 1

Sports: Blugolds are headed td'Karisag CzIk(M(o( )(2lMjlfi FRIDAY, March 13, 1992 Serving Eau Claire and West-Central Wisconsin Check pjuh Doyle: Gaming ii list trying to devices illegal By Arthur Srb Associated Press MADISON Attorney General James Doyle held that Wisconsin law "clearly declares' most video gambling machines are illegal and could be seized by law enforcement officers. But, Doyle said in an informal opinion, the law is not clear under which district attorneys can. seek the revocation of beer and liquor licenses by holders who have gambling devices on the. "1 hope that the Legislature will I act to update and clarify" that section of the law, Doyle said in an opinion requested by Sens. Michael Ellis, R-Neenah, and Robert' Cow-les, R-Green Bay.

Doyle -said ThiircHav thp Inw -4 By Steven Komarow Associated Press WASHINGTON Embarrassed House members art rushing to give constituents an accounting of their check-kiting habits before the release of an official offenders. list. The House early today voted 426-0 to make public the names of 355 current and former members who took advantage of free overdrafts at the House bank. It singled out 24 as the worst abusers, and left it to the public to label the rest. The chamber began its debate by accepting the resignation of the overseer of the now-defunct bank, Sergeant at Arms Jack But for the most part, lawmakers worried aloud about their own jobs.

"As of today," ethics committee member Fred Gra'ndy, R-Iowa, told his colleagues, "your talk-show hosts have a topic. Your opponent has an issue. And your constituents have a reason to support term limitations." Before Thursday, only about five dozen lawmakers had confessed to writing checks beyond their balances, mostly small-change stuff. But when it became clear that the House was going to vote to disclose all the names, that figure began to soar. Among those who came forward were: Rep.

Charles Hatcher, who said overdrew his account as many as 780 times over the 39 months. Rep. Duncan Hunter, who disclosed he wrote an estimated 160 bad checks in the past three years. Rep. Gerry Sikorski, bad checks.

"We should have known better," he said. It was not immediately clear whether any of those three, or 'any of the others who went public, were on the worst offenders' list. Account data, published by the Washington Times on Thursday, showed there were many other contestants for that honor. The list included no names. But it showed, for example, that one House bank user was more than $92,000 overdrawn at one point.

The list was confirmed by The Associated Press. "This is a sad and embarrassing chapter in this institution's history. We cannot deny it," said Rep. Mike Synar, D-Okla. The disclosure resolution passed easily only after Democratic leaders abandoned their efforts to halt the revelations with the release of the names of the 24 worst offenders.

As recommended by the ethics committee, the others would have been free to obtain and release their records or not. But Republicans insisted on exposing all the offenders and, feeding on public discontent with congressional perks, charged there was a coverup under Under the resolution, the list of 24 labeled "abusers" 19 current House members and five former members will be officially released within 10 days. The rest of the list will be released 10 days later. After the disclosure resolution was passed, Rep. Mickey Edwards, pushed to extend the ethics committee's inquiry so a more thorough accounting of the less egregious offenders would be provided the public.

The ethics committee report said Sergeant 'at Arms Russ misused his office by cashing his own bad checks at the bank and failing to carry out reforms designed to end the abuses. Rep. Steve Gunderson Had 12 checks bounce Lawmakers say names should be released By Oan Holtz Leader-Telegram staff Even though they are in- eluded in the list of con- -gressmen who have bounced checks at the House bank, U.S. Reps. Steve Gunderson and David Obey agree with the decision to disclose fully the House members who bounced checks.

1 "Without credibility" in our institution, we are simply un- able to resolve the difficult issues before the nation," said Gunderson, R-OsseO. "In my view, even though no taxpayers' money was involved because members with overdrafts were simply borrowing temporarily from the ac-. counts of other members who had surpluses, the should nonetheless go beyond that and release the names of ail individuals who had a problem, no matter how small or inadvertent," said Obey, D- -Wausau. See CHECKS, Page 2A ''Vf' Mlf could be clarified Boyle -ifrlegislators would acMo-simply -include the-term "electronic gambling mactrtne-hv the Hst of devices prohibited in establishments with beer and liquor licenses. The law now prohibits such a licensee from having a "slot machine, roulette wheel, or other similar mechanical gambling device, or number jar or other device designed for like form of gambling," Doyle said.

Ellis and Cowles hailed the opinion, saying it "clears up once and -for all the confusion surrounding these machines." The senators had asked Doyle to address the issue of "legality out of concern for law-abiding tavern owners who have heard differing opinions about these machines." "That's important, because I don't want my tavern owners in jeopardy if they have illegal machines on their premises," Ellis said in a statement. "Possession of these machines, not just possession with intent to pay out, is illegal," he said Cowles said local law enforcement officials now have "clear guidance" regarding the machines. "Tavern owners should be made aware that their machines are illegal and subject to seizure," Cowles said. "I think it's very significant that the state's top law enforcement official has stated this so clearly." In his letter to the senators, Doyle noted that his was not a formal opinion because he can issue them only to the governor, the Legislature, state officers and agencies and, in some circumstances, county corporation counsel and district attorneys. 'However, I hope I have provided you with some guidance and that this letter has adequately addressed your question," Doyle said.

Gov. Tommy Thompson, who asked the Legislature to pass a law to allow video gambling machines in taverns if approved in a local referendum, has said it's estimated 3,000 to 5,000 video gambling ma-, chines are in Wisconsin-Thompson's chief of staff, Edward S. Marion, said Doyle's opinion called 'for of Wisconsin gambling laws, which is what Thompson has urged the Legislature to do. i j-? Staff photo by StevfcKinderrnan I Facial expression Senior Mike Schemberger cheers for the Eaii Claire Memorial girls' basketball team Thursday night in Madison during their 45-40 win over Milwaukee Washington. The Old Abes now play Janesville Parker tonight at 8:45 p.m.

it? a Division sarrjifinal game, which can.be seen on WQOW Channel 18. For more, see Page 1C. ante to WEUX FCC or Clark and Martin currently each hold percent interest in Family Group Ltd. III. Group firm thar applied for the station license in 1986( and was granted the construction perrnit in 1987; fell on hard financial times.

The company went through; bankruptcy in 1990 and ifc assets were bought by Aries. vSv Aries Telecommunications' lists its address as P.O. Drawer 9, Buckhannon, W.V., which, is the address of Clark's consulting firm. 'ri basketball' games. But Jim Tomlin, general manager of WGBA, said the process could be slowed because one partner in Aries, Donald E.

Clark of Port Charlotte, is buying out his other partner, Carl J. Martin of Punta Gurda, to become sole owner of WEUX and the Green Bay and La Crosse stations. The FCC still as to approve that switch, which could take weeks or months, Tomlin said. After that approval is given, construction on the station can start. After construction is finished it will take the FCC another two or three months before it approves WUEX's license application to allow the station to begin broadcasting.

Tomlin said he is confident the station witt be on the air sometime before the end of the 1992 building season. He said unlike past owners, Clark has the financial resources to put the station on the air-Since WEUX was first proposed in August 1986, the prospective station has gone through a bankruptcy proceeding and four changes in ownership. Clark and Martin control 96.8 percent of the voting stock of Aries Telecommunica- tions, which they bought last year from a Green Bay group headed by Green Bay resident Mitchell Lambert. The rest of the stock, about 3 percent, belongs to Family Group, Ltd. III.

of Punta Gurda, Fla. That firm is a descendent of the original company which applied for a station in Chippewa Falls in 1986. Clark and Martin each owned 4 percent of the company then. By Rod Stetzer Chippewa Falls News Bureau CHIPPEWA FALLS The Federak Communications Commission has granted a construction permit for WEUX, a proposed television station in Chippewa Falls, to its new owners. The FCC's approval on Feb.

28 is another step for Aries Telecommunications Corp. to build the station, which would be broadcast on Channel 48. Aries Telecommunications which is primarily owned by two Florida men, also owns WLAX-TV (Channel 25) in La Crosse and WGBA-TV (Channel 26) in Green Bay. Both stations are affiliates of the Fox Broadcasting Co. and broadcast Milwaukee Brewers baseball and Milwaukee Bucks Sherry Weinke, general manager of WEAU-TV (Channel 13), said broadcast market has adjusted t0 competi tion Bom new radio stations; 1 don think another independent will kill the rest of the TV stations, said.

A EiiQap ifines: Gome ah em, man says Apparel Alps, helping themselves to Clothes nilorl "Cl foot fiinhV 'f 7A 2B 8A ID Bulletin 2B 1 4D CityRegion 1B Classified 5C 3D Crossword 5C 4B 1C So he turned philanthropist, opening his doors December and giving clothes to anyone who would lug them DiScala figured in these tough economic times, it would beeasy Sorry, John. "I'm a little annoyed with the politicianstwt-there. Nobody wants to arrange to take this stuff. They're too involved in the primaries or getting elected," said DiScala. "It's a funny world we Jive in." NEW YORK (AP) John DiScala has used clothes: tons of T-shirts, a plenitude of pants, an abundance of underwear.

It's free to anybody who wants it. But he's discovered it's tougher to give than to DiScala's donated 2 million pounds to the city's homeless shelters. A planeload went to Puerto Rico. An Indian reservation in South Dakota is getting a as is -a small; Louisiana town. Homeless people, poor families and church groups come in daily to scale the yam ntunpapw hunt ban doltwwd By 6:30 p.m.

wwfcdayt, mckendt, can S33-2S4. PhOtw optn ur 6:30 p.m. wNkdar. 6 to 10 mwkandi. Which still leaves him with millions of pounds of clothes, stacked to the Ceiling and packing a 60.000-square-foot Bronx warehouse, He's hoping it will go to good use.

DiScala, 39, of Staten Island, bought about 12 million pounds of used clothes for $600,000 aftpr an auction last year. He soon realized he could sell just a quarter of the clothes and still turn a profit. Volume 22 Number 27S 4 Sections 28.