European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 19, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday March 19, 1992 the stars and stripes c Page 9bush backs aides on Check scandal president jokes aside says Public must decide Washington apr president Bush no longer joking about the House rubber Check scandal is standing by three Cabinet members caught up in the affair. But he says its up to the american people to sort out the wrongdoers from innocent victims. The Back to Back confessions tuesday by Bush a defense agriculture and labor secretaries let some air out of the political balloon for House republicans who have relished watching democrats squirm As the major abusers of privilege at the in House Bank. Defense Secretary Dick Cheney was the first Bush appointee to confess tuesday a he had bounced As Many As 25 checks. Agriculture Secretary Edward mad Igan owned up to 49 overdrawn checks including one for $8,618, and labor Secretary Lynn Martin found 16 in her closet. Cheney served in the House from Wyoming mad Igan and Martin represented Illinois districts. Bush who cracked a joke about the scandal on the Campaign Trail in Milwaukee on monday took a More sober approach in a Rose Garden appearance tuesday. He Eror Essed a total Confidence in Cheney a integrity a Ana added a i just Haven to heard anything about any of the  Judy Smith a White House spokeswoman said later a a in a sure he would say the same about All the Cabinet members that its a situation they did no to have any it s an embarrassment to me my family and friends a agriculture Secretary Edward Madigan knowledge  a a let a get the facts out and then i think the american people Are very smart a Bush said. A they will be Able to make a determination As to what was wrongdoing and who were simply victims of a system that obviously has failed  aides said the 21 checks that Cheney could Lay his hands on totalled $10,069, including one for $1,945 to american express. Madigan a checks added up to roughly $30,000. Martin said her 16 overdrafts totalled $5,125, with the largest a $1,350 Check. Cheney called himself a angry and frustrated and said he never knew his account had run dry. Madigan called it a an embarrassment to me my fam ily and friends but said it should not a Impact my effectiveness As Secretary of  Martin said she was Docking herself $425 in fees that a real Bank might have charged and was donating the Money to Charity. Three other Cabinet members a Interior Secretary Manuel Lujan housing Secretary Jack Kemp and veterans affairs Secretary Edward Derwinski a All said tuesday that they did not overdraw their accounts during their years in the House. Twenty of the 24 people on the worst offenders list were democrats and republicans had been Quick to Lay the blame at the majority party a door. Vice president Dan Quayle said tuesday that it a demonstrates the arrogance of Power of an institution that a been controlled by one party without serious Challenge for nearly 40  in Illinois on tuesday rep. Charles a. Hayes the first House member with Check problems to face reelection was Defeated in the democratic primary. Hayes a five term representative who acknowledged 716 overdrafts was ousted by former Black Panther Bobby l. Rush by 42 percent to 39 percent in a six candidate Field. Rep. William f. Goodling r-pa., came Forward and identified himself As the 24th lawmaker on the list of worst offenders drawn up by the House ethics  gets four year term new York apr hotel Queen Leona Helmsley was sentenced wednesday to four years in prison for tax evasion and ordered to surrender on tax Day a april 15. . District judge Thomas Griesa rejected a motion to set aside or reduce a prison term and turned Down the tearful plea of Helmsley who has been out on Appeal since her original sentencing three years ago. Her lawyers argued at a hearing March 9 that a jail term would kill both Helmsley and her 83-year-old invalid husband Harry who was indicted with his wife but declared incompetent to stand trial. But the judge said dropping a jail term would be a going too  he said Harry Helmsley had already received a significant Benefit when he was judged incompetent to stand trial. And he said Leona Helmsley 71, remains a quite a vigorous  Leona Helmsley who became a celebrity by portraying herself in advertisements As the persnickety ruler of the Helmsley hotels was convicted in 1989 and Given a four year prison sentence. She was also fined $7 million and ordered to pay nearly $2 million in restitution for tax evasion from 1983 through 1985. Griesa reduced the total Helmsley owes by $850,000 to $8.15 million As directed by an appeals court. The judge noted that Helmsley has some health problems but said the Federal prison system is humane and provides Good health care. Helmsley was convicted of spending Money on personal items and recording them for tax purposes As business expenses. Among the items were lavish furnishings for the  Connecticut mansion. One witness testified that Helmsley once said that Only a the Little people pay taxes a a claim she steadfastly denied. Fast curve tossed at fast Laners from wire and staff reports Karlsruhe Germany a a High court has issued a ruling that could slam the brakes on autobahn Speed demons. On tuesday the Federal court of Justice ruled that people driving faster than the a a recommended limit of 80 Mph 130 Kilometres per hour can be held liable for an Accident even if they do not cause a crash. An american military Community Provost marshal in Germany said the ruling was a Good one for americans. A i think that a Good for americans because most americans Arentt used to driving the High rate of Speed a said maj. Gerri Graugnard the Provost marshal for the 221st base support in at Wiesbaden. Graugnard said that most american vehicles Are not designed for speeds exceeding 80 Mph and that there have been few accidents involving americans driving at High speeds on autobahn. A was a general Rule they done to drive As fast As the germans do anyway a Graugnard said. The ruling will give new ammunition to the growing chorus of people arguing for autobahn Speed limits for reasons of safety and fuel Economy. The government of Chancellor Helmut Kohl has thus far rejected the pressure describing its philosophy As a free driving for free  reactions were mixed from americans living in Germany. Master sgt. Robert Kamark the equal Opportunity adviser for the 221st support in in Wiesbaden said he would definitely slow Down from his Normal driving speeds of 85 to 90 Mph. A if i was held liable there would be some serious problems a Kamark said. A i just done to understand How if there Arentt posted Speed limits How can they hold me liable a still not All Drivers plan to abide by the recommended Speed limit. Jennifer Hebert the editor of the 53rd area support group newspaper said she has no plans to slow Down from her Normal speeds of 85 to 95 Mph in Light traffic on the autobahn. A normally if traffic is slightly heavy in a always careful because i done to want to get in an Accident a she said. A but if traffic is Light i feel pretty confident that nothing will  the ruling by the court Germany a highest for criminal Ana civil matters overturned a lower court judgment. That court let off the Driver of a porsche who was said to have been rocketing along at 112 Mph when a slower car moved into the Lane in front of the porsche. The porsche Driver braked hard and skidded into a car pulling a trailer which slammed into a car on the shoulder. Two people were seriously injured. Raceway speeds Are routine on Many stretches of Germany a autobahn system that have no posted Legal limit. Although the lower court said the porsche Driver had not caused the crash the five judge court of Justice pointed to the recommended limit of 80 Mph which applies wherever lower limits Are not posted. Judge Erich Steffen ruled that 80 Mph was a a special threshold above which the danger of an Accident was obvious. The Case involving the porsche Driver was returned to the lower court. The Driver was told he could avoid liability Only by proving that he had not driven faster than the recommended limit. Staff writer Ron Mckinney contributed to this report army considers trying no in wife s murder by Ray Rowden Washington Bureau Washington almost two months after being recalled to Active duty a former club manager has been charged with murdering his wife in saudi Arabia last july. Army officials at fort Stewart ga., began a hearing wednesday to decide if they will prosecute 57-year-old sgt. Maj. Earnest . Sands who was formally charged March 4. Sands maintains that he is innocent. He reported finding his wife of 11 years Amparo m. Sands dead july 18 in the quarters they shared on the . Compound of the . Military Liaison Mission in Riyadh. Two of three autopsies pointed toward strangulation As the cause of death. The third did not result in any findings. The hearing similar to the arraignment proceedings of a civilian court is to determine the Legal merits of the Case according to a spokesman for the 24th inf div Mech at fort Stewart. Results of the hearing and a recommended course of action will be turned Over to a fort Stewart commander for decision the spokesman said. Sands who retired from the army in 1984, had been chief of the Community operations div at the . Military training Mission in saudi Arabia. He was recalled to Active duty Jan. 8, and immediately transferred to the 24th inf div Mech at fort Stewart. The division commander maj. Gen. Barry r. Mccaffrey became the army court martial convening authority for an area that included Riyadh during the persian Gulf War. Sands is not in custody according to maj. John Banning a spokesman for the 24th inf div. A a he a working As a member of the 24th inf div logistics staff a Banning said. Logistics staffs provide their organizations with supplies and services such As Field rations and dining facility operations. Sands specialized in logistics during his 27-year army career. The army Scase against Sands appears to hinge on Testim Oiw by a sri lankan Man who worked for the former club manager in saudi Arabia according to a letter from the . Military Mission there which was released to the stars and stripes by the court of military appeals. A your former Houseboy has provided a sworn statement that he saw you finish suffocating and strangling your wife and helped you move her from the floor to a bedroom at your insistence a the letter said