European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 13, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 4 the stars and stripes wednesday september 13,1989 giving bus the Green Light vice president Dan Quayle dedicates the nation s first transit bus to run on natural . The clean air bus which debuted in Columbus Ohio last week is de signed to meet air standards and transportation needs. Former aide shows Ury videos of Bakker s luxurious lifestyle Charlotte . A jurors watched video tuesday showing the opulent lifestyle of pal founder Jim Bakker including a 4,000-Square-foot suite in a hotel at the pal ministry s heritage Usa theme Park and Retreat. The video tour was conducted by James Taggart Bakker s former Interior decorator who was sentenced to 17 years in prison and fined $500,000 last week for tax evasion while at pal. Taggart said the suite could be divided into three smaller suites for the bakkers and their two children. The presidential suite in the heritage grand hotel at heritage Usa outside Charlotte at fort Mill s.c., was used occasionally by the bakkers who also had a five level parsonage at nearby Lake Wylie. Reporters could not the video screen As Taggar described Gold plated Swan bathroom fixtures antique Beds and mirrored Walls in the bedroom. He said the suite included a i o-by-60-foot closet for Bakker s wife Tammy Faye. Bakker is charged with 24 counts of fraud and conspiracy and faces 120 years in prison and More than $5 million in fines. Prosecutors say he used nearly $4 million in ministry funds to finance a lavish lifestyle. Taggart and his brother David were convicted of evading $525,000 in income taxes on Money they received from pal. Prosecutors have indicated they might support a reduction in the Taggarty sentences i Exchange for testimony against Bakker. Under Cross examination by defense lawyer Harold Bender Taggart testified that other celebrities also used the presidential suite but they had to be cleared through Bakker s office. In other testimony Thomas Trask. Treasurer of the assemblies of god of Springfield mo., that Bakker had nearly $794,000 in the denomination s retirement account on May 6. 1987. Bakker is barred from making further contributions because he has been defrocked by the Church. Michael Dixon a Franklin Tenn. Music agent for the bakkers daughter. Tammy sue testified he was paid More than $96,000 by pal o devise a marketing scheme for Tammy sue s recordings. Testimony showed Bakker purchased More than $600,000 Worth of music equipment for his Home. . District judge Robert Potter lectured Bakker for not reporting to his probation officer monday fora weekly report on medication he is taking. Bakker s lawyer Harold Bender went to the probation office instead and apologized in court. Prosecutors continued their practice of this week of interspersing testimony about the Bakker s lifestyle with testimony from people who sent them Money. Prosecutors contend that Bakker took Money sent by his followers called partners if they gave $1,000 and did t use it to construct hotel rooms he promised in broadcasts and in mailings. Partners were told they could stay free in a pal hotel once a year. Sarah Combs of Spanishburg. W.va., said she and her husband a disabled Coal Miner lived on $400 month. But they decided to use $1,000 out of $19.000 her husband received for medical compensation for Black lung disease caused by breathing Coal dust for a partnership in the heritage grand hotel but she was never Able to stay there despite repeated attempts she said. Every Lime i called i would talk to someone else and they would give me a different reason Why there was t any room she said. In testimony monday Taggart said Bakker joked about his finances for expensive trips telling those with him to thank the pal  plane crash victim Root files under bankruptcy Law Washington a Thomas rom whose communications Law business attracted Public scrutiny Fol lowing the attorney s mysterious plane crash into the Atlantic Ocean said monday his Law firm has filed to chapter 11 bankruptcy Protection. Root who has acknowledged collecting $1.64 Mil lion in fees for representing pm radio station applicants before the Federal communications commis Sion in the last two years said his monetary woes stemmed from non payment from an entity he would not name. He refused to say if the entity was Sonrisa manage ment services a Columbus ga., company that has sued Root Over his Legal services for pm station invest ment groups that Sonrisa organized. Who do you think it is Root said when asked if it were Sunrise. Root said his firm Thomas l. Root p.c., filed for chapter 11 Protection aug. 30 in Federal bankruptcy court in the District of Columbia. The petition was filed to afford the professional corporation an Opportunity to recover from the loss of Revenue which resulted from the failure of an entity to Honor its contract ural obligation to pay the Legal fees of Many of the pm radio applicant clients of the firm. The firm also has suffered disruption of Revenue be cause of the Accident in july 1989 of Thomas l Root president of the firm Root said in a prepared statement. Root gained Fame when his single engine plane apparently on Auto Pilot after taking off from washing Ion flew for six hours before crashing into the Atlantic Ocean near the Bahamas. Root the Pilot was plucked from the water by . Military rescuers who had been following his plane. At a Florida Hospital doctors discovered the Alexandria,va., attorney had been shot in the Abdomen. Root says he passed out at the controls of the air Craft and can t remember How he was shot. Federal authorities were investigating the crash. Less than a week after the crash Sonrisa filed a $584.000 lawsuit against Root alleging he failed to perform work and double billed a client. Sonrisa said it had paid him $1.9 million since 1986in advances against Legal fees for some 167 pm applicants. Root says he received $1.64 million. In june Sonrisa had suggested that the applicants consider dropping Root s Washington Law firm. The acc has said Root s firm repeatedly failed to comply with deadlines and other requirements in the pm application cases and a number of Root s applications have been dismissed. Root said monday his firm still represented in excess of so of those clients and that 12 had change counsel. We re still answering our phones he said and the firm continues to represent its present and new clients. The firm will remain in  the Washington Post reported aug. 16 that a Feder Al grand jury is investigating whether Root or his la firm falsified a Federal aviation administration document regarding a radio Tower to be built in Kirksville to. Sonrisa is under investigation by the acc for Possi Bly illegally controlling the pm investment groups and in North Carolina for possible breaches of securities Laws. Sonrisa officials have denied any wrongdoing. Under chapter 11 of the Federal bankruptcy act a firm obtains a court order freeing it from the threat of creditors lawsuits until it can develop a plan to put its finances in order. That resultant plan which must be approved by a majority of the creditors can include a full or partial repayment of debts. Colt ordered to rehire workers on strike 31/2 years Hartford Conn. A an administrative Law judge ordered the Colt firearms division to a Chirac 800 strikers with Back pay a ruling the Union said could mean As much As $40 million for workers who have picketed for 3 a years. The decision by judge Marvin Roth although not final delighted striking members of the United Auto workers. They re jumping up and Down Robert mad orc a regional Law official. They can t believe we won the whole  Madore estimated Back wages at 140 million an average of $50,000 per worker. This is wonderful said Marie Lam Bert who worked for Colt for 14 years before the strike. There Haven t been any Christmas presents for my kids for the past three  Roth in a ruling dated thursday and released monday found that the gun maker had engaged in unfair labor practices during the strike. The company has until oct. 5 to a peal to the National labor relations Board. If neither Side appeals the Board will adopt Roth s decision said John Sauter assistant regional director for the Board in Hartford. Michael g. Dunn a spokesman for Colt industries in new York said Colt had not yet decided whether to Appeal. About 1,050 workers walked off the Job at Colt plants in Hartford and West Hartford in january 1986 after working 10 months without a contract the division which was put up for Sale by Colt industries in april kept the plants operating with replacements and about 200 Union members who crossed picket lines the judge found that Colt unilaterally changed working conditions failed to bargain in Good Faith offered to Settle separately with employees who quit the Union and rejected a 1986 offer to have strikers return under their old contract. Roth dismissed Colt s allegations that it negotiators had been threatened by the Union but found that Union members had threatened people and property during picketing. He ordered an end to  be Havior. A state Board ruled in 1988 that the Colt workers were victims of a lockout and entitled to millions in unemployment benefits. Coll has appealed that decision. Colt was founded in 1836 by Samuel Colt inventor of the first successful repeat ing pistol. The company later developed its six Shooler the legendary gun that won the West