European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 15, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 4 the stars and stripes politics tuesday. December 15. 1992electoral College casts the real votes Washington a More than 100 million people went to the polls six weeks ago but the 538 who will elect Bill Clinton president have Only just cast their deciding ballots. Members of the electoral College met in state capitals across the nation monday to vote for the 42nd president of the United states. While the outcome is Clear it wont be official until the results Are formally presented to a joint session of Congress on Jan. 6. Under the . Constitution citizens on nov. 3 cast their ballots for slates of electors committed to a candidate. Each state has As Many electoral votes As it has congressional districts plus one for each senator. In addition the District of Columbia gets three electors. In 48 states All the electoral votes Are awarded to the slate that receives the states most popular vote. Only in Maine and Nebraska Are electoral votes divided according to the popular vote in each congressional District. Two votes Are then added based on the statewide popular vote. If All goes As planned Clinton and his vice presidential Choice a1 Gore will receive 370 of the 538 electoral votes that will be cast. But electors Are not bound to stick to their slate in All states and May indeed vote for the candidate of their Choice. New York outshines rivals in pampering electors Albany . Apr when new Yorkus 33 presidential electors met monday to cast ballots collect a souvenir plate and eat Chicken Marsala and chocolate mousse the states taxpayers picked up a $10,000 Tab for three hours work. In Colorado eight electors were to meet in the office of gov. Roy Romer to cast their ballots. Romer was buying a Box lunch. Souvenir ballpoint pens were a possibility. In Illinois Secretary of state George Ryan dipped into his personal political fund to provide Coffee and cookies in his office before the electoral meeting began. In Arkansas where folks could be forgiven for going whole hog for Home state favorite Bill Clinton the arcane tradition of casting electoral votes involves no Cost no pay no lunch no nothing. No kidding a in Arkansas we re honoured if we re an said Patsy Thomass on. Executive director of the state democratic party. When it comes to rolling out the red carpet for electoral College voters nobody beats new York. Texas with one less elector makes a run at the Empire state but Only because the Lone Star state is five times As big and pays twice As much for mileage. A where most states get by with a a thank you and a Pat on the Back new York is putting on the Ritz. William Brown spokesman for the state department of state said it s always been done that Way. A a we be inherited so much of he said. The s 10,000 helps pay for a lunch at a French restaurant for 70 to 75 electors and guests at s 1-1.95 a head. Each elector will receive a Pewter plate bearing the images of president elect Clinton and vice president elect a Gore at $41 apiece Brown said. Electors Are also paid $15 plus 13 cents a mile in travel expenses Brown said. By tradition the Money a usually about $2,000 a is donated to Charity. Another $l300 to $1,400 goes toward printing and engraving the ballots Brown said. Texas budgets More than new York but has spent less. Mark Bell spokesman for Secretary of state John Hannah said $14,500 has been budgeted for Texas electors this year. However about $14,000 also was allocated in 1988 and Only $7,000 was spent he said. A a Many of them in previous years have paid for their own travel expenses and meals and hotel Bell said. Few have done so however. About half the states have passed Laws requiring that electors vote As pledged. Quot there have been Only a few so called report probes Rostenkowski s office expenses Chicago apr . Rep. Dan Rostenkowski has paid More than $73,000 in Campaign funds to himself and his Sisters for a Chicago office that appears to he vacant a newspaper reported sunday. The office in a building that has been in Rostenkowski a family for years is located about 80 feet from the Chicago Home where the congressman lives the Chicago Sun times reported. Rostenkowski said the office Isnit vacant adding that he stores Campaign materials there and uses it to watch Cable television feeds from Congress when he is in Chicago. A it is a Normal office a he told the newspaper. When asked who staffs it he replied a i am the he could not be reached for comment Over the weekend. No one answered the Telephone at his congressional office in Chicago and his Home number is unlisted. Rostenkowski a Democrat and 34-year Veteran of Congress chairs the House ways and Means committee. He is one of three congressmen under investigation by a Federal grand jury looking into possible improprieties related to the defunct . House Post office. He has denied wrongdoing. The newspaper said there has been no listed Telephone number Tor a Campaign office at the address since continual rent payments for it began in 19s6 at $500 a month. Federal records show that Rostenkowski s congressional Campaign fund is now paying More than $1,250 a month for the office and that the total rent paid since 1986 amounts to More than $73,000, the newspaper said. The offices address is listed on Campaign stationery and on documents Rostenkowski sends 10&Quot the Federal election commission the Sun times said. The four Story building housing the office was inherited by Rostenkowski and his Sisters when their father died in 1970. One of the Sisters died last summer. A a faithless electors Over the years. Members of the electoral College have but one task before their work is done. A under the Constitution Thev will meet half dozen documents swearing they hav done their constitutional duty. In their respective state capitals on the first monday after the second wednesday in december cast their vote and Sien a Rostenkowski president Bush and his wife Barbara join in the singing during the taping sunday of no cd a Christmas a Washington at the National building museum in Washington . Bush took the Opportunity to acknowledge the . Military a efforts in Somalia to help Holiday Harmony safeguard food shipments for the country a starving room left Are pop Star pea to Bryson Singer Julie Andrew the first lady Singer Neil Diamond Bush and violinist Midori i to. Others Are unidentified. The show airs this week in the United states. Paper urges embattled Packwood to quit of Titi a _ Ore. A the state s paper has called for the resignation of be Wood saying the Bond of Trust Between this constituents has snapped. In a sunday editorial the oregonian a has ducked important questions about a sexual harassment and should resin to or to his problems. A a a Packwood has let Oregon Down the e Quot he should step Down Quot a Packwood said last week that he Wol a under any the oregonian noted it has in Packwood a Republican and endorsed h fifth term shortly before a nos 3 re Electa that was before he the Bene r a a boo p. A re i r s. D. A if i Aper such. a a a sed of making unwanted sexual and Cornea during his Long Senate career 12. Smear the name of several of the 1speating Cut six of the women hav e come for a a nov. 22 Story m the Washington Post re it p a -ti1 members and lobbyists a a ick weco a i sexual harassment. Incl my a Entea too hmm forceful kisses. A Packwo cd publicly apologized to the 2 re a a renew the Bond of Trust with Oreg mans not have to fax. Of a error to repair that Bond a if he Ever a Quot a new rarer which has a . N f a4 a a a
