European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 26, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday june 26, 1991 the stars and stripes a Page 13haynes Johnson commentary leave it to John Sununu. He has perfect timing and imperfect political pitch. Quot a in the week in which new York City began laying of nearly 8,000 municipal employees new Jersey grappled with cutting 6.000 More Public employees once Golden California painfully confronted its historic $ 15 Quot billion deficit the District of Columbia struggled to Cut its Public Rolls and taxpayers were told Thanh Eye ii have to dig deeper to bail out savings and Loans and probably commercial Banks Sununu was Back in the news he was demonstrating not Only that rank has its privileges but also that in the Bush White House special rank expects extra special privileges. The latest Sununu imbroglio is even More astonishing than the earlier one when the chief of staff embarrassed his president by frequently using military aircraft to travel around the country on political junkets and personal trips at an estimated Cost of $600,000. These took him to fat cat Republican fund raisers ski lodges Golf resorts and Eyen his dentist in Boston. Sununu made matters infinitely worse by defending the practice As essential to National Security insisting that his White House role is so important that while airborne he must be within constant Telephone reach of Washington Over secure lines. The Fate of the Republic Hung upon  such pompous arrogance and profligacy at taxpayer expense instantly became the stuff of late night National television humor. Here it triggered bipartisan guffaws. Sununu is not the capital s favorite fellow to put it mildly. Jokes about a air Sununu quickly proliferated. The White House was forced to respond by requiring that he obtain prior approval Tor plane trips. Sununu so Wing were clipped a it was widely reported. End of incident but. Not. Before political damage had been done to the president. Out of that episode came an airing of  financial condition suggesting that the former new Hampshire governor was in a not uncommon bind for someone with a Large family mortgages Here and in his native stale and no personal Fortune to make up the difference. So tight were his circumstances that he reportedly missed a payment on real estate taxes in ego trip Washington and in new Hampshire and his Wile took a Job on a Republican party payroll. Pity the poor Public servant. So what a the next act in the Saga of this repentant grounded penurious High ranking official a he turns up a week ago wednesday in new York at a Raic stamp auction at the internationally famous and most expensive Christie s and buys Stamps a airmail Stamps at that a for a reported Price of about $.\000. While this raises questions about his economic condition it was the Way in which he travelled that attracted further attention.  driven there from Washington in a  government limousine with of course a plume and subsequently defended it As official business Quot in the National  it was essential he explained Oil  a this week with David Lynn Klov Quot for him a to be Able to communicate to work on sensitive papers to coordinate the White House activities even while i in traveling.�?T. After taking care of personal matters including the auction and conducting no official business save perhaps in phone Calls Sununu dispatched car and Driver to Washington. He returned on a corporate Jet alter attending a Republican fund Raiser in new Jersey. No sooner had this stirred new controversy than reports surfaced that Sununu has solicited . Corporations to provide corporate jets Lor his personal and political trips often in the company of lobbyists lie made such a political fund raising trip aboard a corporate it to Iowa last Lucskay and seemed to glory in defending it publicly even while front Page headlines about his hmm excursion were being published. Officially Bush has chided him and the White House has responded by saving his Olfie Ial i into trip to new. York was Legal i hat s not flip Issue. 1 he Issue is  insensitivity to appearances of contacts of interest and abuse of High official position m the name of personal privilege. As Noiemi Here previously Bush deserves great credit for setting a High ethical Standard an ins admits ration and Tor rekindling respect Lor Public officials High and Low. In so doing he has helped to restore Public belief m the Efficacy and fairness of government. -.����it. Is shameful that through his contemptuous All forme manner and refusal to acknowledge obvious appearances of conflicts of interest Sununu sullies his presidents admirable record. A a c Trio Washington Post a a a a 1sydney h. Schanber helpful hints for free quent flier addict Sununu hang in there John. Done to let those a nattering. Nibblers of newspaper Dom get. You Down. After All you re a big shot now and they better get used to it. You re carrying the weight of the United states affairs Oil your shoulders does no to that mean you re entitled to every last free Lino and plane ride you can get and while you re at it Why not a Vicuna coat too those corporate cheapskates Vav hdm be been flying you around Haven t gotten around to sending you due of those yet. When a your birthday i la remind them someone in that Prissy White House is leaking All those snotty things about you to the Carrion crows in the press. It was probably someone a or several someones a w Hom you be ticked off with your High handed imperious arrogant style. Don t change though. John. Bombast becomes you. ? a thankfully see you have no. Intention of curbing your snide Tongue. Yeah., you really gave it to the nattering nit pickers at that recent Republican fund Raiser in Des Moines Iowa. Those folks nearly fell in the aisles laughing when you cracked a you can t get Here without travelling. 1 know that so a complicated concept Tor . I liked our Dowin Hume touch when you a thoughtfully explained to the Lowans Why you be been using military planes and soliciting free rides on corporate jets to get to your dentist in new England and to ski vacations in Vail and Aspen colo., not to mention the hmm of commandeered to go front Wai Shinton to a rare stamp auction in new York to enhance your philatelic collection. Quot the tact  you told them w Ith a sir a baht lace the reason you pc been John Sununu doing All this on the House travelling was because president Bush warned you Quot to gel out of Washington to see real people 111 Hometown America and to spend time with folks who make up the heart and Sou of this nation to see you. To discuss issues a with . ,. I like that treacly Quot folks Quot stuff. It goes Over better than the pompous blather you delivered on the David Brinkley show to account for your free quent Ulici addiction "1 have to be Able to communicate to work on sensitive papers to coordinate the White House act lilies. Exc ii while i m  he Mem. In Xci while you re at bristles bidding on cd pensive antique Stamps i hat line won to Wash. Id drop it if i were you. Stick with the treacle. I have another i Ellul suggestion. Sliv done to you Start defending your Imperial conflict-of-interest., behaviour by pointing Oul loudly and a publicly that it Xmas Bush who gave Vou the Green Light. Its True. It was George who got Congress in 1 m to change the ethics Law to permit film Milia Tion of Licals to solicit and accept tree travel from american corporations a even corporations. Like those vrho be Given you the travel freebies who do a business with the government or Are lobbying Lor legislative Taxons. Its Leal. Just sax so and sax George made it Legal.  one Small problem with Jonii Ting this spin on your yarn. It s that Iceni be did and said some Oiler things As Well things that Don t quite Ibe Vith your High rolling trips. I or example As a presidential candidate though he diplomatically avoided citing the slea Gate conduct of the Reagan administration George said Mic wanted to scrub government service clean of even the slightest hint of ethical indiscretion. Quot the threshold Loi judging ethical Eon duct in government Quot lie said in 10n.n, Quot is not should not and will not be whether an appointee has  criminal of tense but a whether Lylial individual has. ,. Scrupulously avoided any appearance of impropriety or conflict of  and then at ins inauguration in january i m. He told Gox Crement employees to Quot Bend Oxer backward to we that of Kiev a not Chen a perception Quot of Impi piety. John tile who Speicis against you luxe been Saxine Hal the a it Uii Euime Nuoc been doing is Forward a As you Duck your head to climb into  jets and stretch limousines. Still the president loves you. I lie stir by the whisperer has obviously embarrassed him but he goes on defending you. Saying that though you have. An appearance problem everything you did was technically Legal. And lie attacked your detractors saying i ins beating that lies taken is unwarranted in my viev. Llinat Lemm ded me of what. Sherman Adams your counterpart under president Eisenhower said when poor Man he Xmas hounded out Oil Washington by a ungrateful. A f o a it c. A suits. Lie said he was the victim of a Campaign of vilification aimed at destroy my Inin and weakening the president. Adams who like you had been governor of next Hampshire and also like you Xmas Crivici cd As lordly and High handed resigned and a Cut Back to his Home Kiaie. 1 ins Xmas alter disclosures that lie had accepted an. Oti ii tul my $3,01 1 Worth of  and a Xic uha coat from a next England text11c magnate. A Bernard Gold inc a those buoy Ness a lairs were under government mixes tight ii in and on xxx he we Fie a if Adams had made inquiries Al Ixo Ledeal agencies. Maybe Adams had the Light idea. May he you should thumb your nose at die xxi Perers with Small minds and pack up. And go Home. W jul Miglin i loess 1 deserve you. But f Elore of to. A taxi. Mild you please take ease of the Quot appear arise problem f just ask oui Oij Huaie sponsors to give the government tie $ 0 1, or More that i i use a oui tree Pel Sonal tips and die Assoum Xxiii he Quale. And then Xou can co Home