European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 24, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                New lawmakers seek pay freeze by the Washington Post Washington president Clinton a proposal to freeze the pay of Federal employees would not affect the 535 members of Congress who Are scheduled to get a Cost of living increase next year but eight democratic freshmen have a different idea. The freshmen led by reps. Luis v. Gutierrez of Illinois and Eric fingerhut of Ohio last week proposed legislation to forgo a 1994 raise that is otherwise automatic under the 1989 Law designed in part to take politics out of the setting of a Al Pic a Quot ers in the House at least appear to congressional pay. And the party a Lead House at least appear to agree. The Issue has yet to surface in the Senate. Last month a 3.2 percent increase under that Law lifted the pay of House members and senators to $133,644. After hearing Clinton a proposal for other Federal employees on feb. 17, Gutierrez and fingerhut said they con eluded that congressional pay should Rise no higher next year Quot our salaries Are certainly generous and competitive when compared to those of other Public servants Quot Gutierrez and fingerhut said in a letter to colleagues circulated thursday. Quot if a Federal employee with a salary of one fifth of our salary can bite the Bullet so can  Gutierrez who has already gained an upstarts reputation among some House leaders called their congressional pay freeze Bill Quot a Quick response Quot to the presidents economic message. A House democratic leadership aide asked monday about the legislation responded quickly too. Quot if the president is going to freeze the pay raises of Federal employees there a no Way members arc going to take a pay raise Quot the aide said the aide recalling recent jurors Over congressional pay increases estimated the political costs of keeping a 1994 raise As High especially if other Federal employees done to get one. Quot it  be pretty Quot he said ,.but House members have not rushed to co sponsor a freeze of their own pay since six other freshmen signed up thursday. A fingerhut aide said the office had received Quot a few Calls Quot in response to the letter. A Gutierrez aide said no. Members have responded to that office. Both said Many lawmakers returned to their districts for the weekend without seeing the letter. Consumer advocate Ralph Nader an opponent of congressional pay increases enacted since 1989, said he has received a similarly paltry response to his Quot humility pledge�?T5 asking members to Roll Back those raises and eliminate their Cost of living increase. Quot these people talk a Good game before a election and then they done to want to hear from anybody that asked them to share in sacrifice Quot he said. Nader noted that during the depression Congress in two consecutive years Cut lawmakers pay from $10,000 to $9,000 and then to $8,500. Quot these people done to even have the prudence to keep their salary the same. It goes up Quot Nader said. Boy 14, sends Clinton $1,000 to boost plans Fargo . Apr others complain about president Clinton s plan to trim the Federal deficit by raising taxes. A 14-year-old who fears the proposal will get bogged Down in politics has sent Clinton a Check for $1,000. Quot the Economy is hurting now. I think we have to do something now to get things going Quot said Larry Villilla of Fargo who started his own business three years ago. Quot president Clinton heeds to bypass All the governmental red tape to stimulate the Economy Quot my solution makes this possible because it eliminates the a Middle Man a and the Money gets to the government much faster Quot he wrote to Clinton. The Check was still in the mail when the president got wind of it and called from aboard air Force one to thank him. Quot in a really really impressed that you did this Quot Clinton told him Quot i think you re really a Symbol of what a Best with this country. In a proud of you. Larry a sister walked at sending so much Quot but he said he wanted to make a Point and the $1,000 would be More powerful Quot said his Mother Debbi Villella. Clinton said he would have to make sure the government could accept the Money. He said he would get Back to Larry on that adding that he hoped to eventually meet him. Quot one of the things that in be asked my staff to do since citizens Are not in the habit of sending Money like this is to see whether we can legally receive it and spend it just the Way you want he said. The Money came from Larry a Bank account for conserve products a company that markets a tree and Shrub watering system be invented. His parents help run the company. Socratic leadership aide Many lawmakers returned to their Dis goes up Nader said. Former congressman insists he did t fall for it whatever it was Washington fall a Robin Tallon save head the Fri had Hist rounded in 7ft n it Nnoli it in a Ctina r Washington apr Robin Tallon says head just settled into his chair at a Capitol Hill restaurant when he heard the Job offer of his life. Three Guys in suits offered the retiring congressman from South Carolina a Job at $250,000 a year a double his government salary. He smelled a rat paid for his Orange juice and promptly left he says. He thought maybe it was the Fri trying another sting a but a weekly newspaper says it was a team Tor inside edition a syndicated television show. The shows producers Arentt talking. Tallon a Democrat who retired from the House this year said the pitch went this Way at the meeting last fall. Head be driven around in limousines. He  have to work very hard. And after a while he  have to work at All. The bad news was head have to travel abroad. But he could go first class. And they would pay to Send his family along. But first they needed some help with a teens problem. That a when they started chattering about fasteners and regulations that the Commerce department was writing. Tallon says he got suspicious immediately. In the first place he barely knew what they were talking about. In the second place the stuff just did no to ring True he says. Quot in a thinking a if this is the Fri they must think i fell off the cabbage truck a a a Tallon said. Quot i was furious. It was an insult to my intelligence. I really wanted to Tell them this is a poor excuse for a sting  Tallon had reason to be sensitive to a setup. His predecessor John Jenrette was nailed in an Fri sting and the Fri had just rounded up 28 people in a sting operation in the South Carolina legislature. So he says he Wasny to buying it. Quot our entire conversation could not have lasted More than 10 minutes Quot Tallon said. He says he stood up tossed Down some Money Fox his juice and left. To this Day he does no to know to whom he had been talking. But Roll Call a newspaper that circulates on Capitol Hill says it was inside edition. Tallon May not have been the Only retiring member of Congress to get the offer that was too Good to be True. Former rep. Robert w. Davis r-mich., said he was contacted too. Beyond that he wont talk. Judy Geder a spokeswoman for inside edition said she had a no answer Quot when asked whether the program had attempted a videotape sting operation on members of Congress. Quot the policy of this show is not to comment on stories that Are in Progress or Are potentially in Progress or any ideas we May have Quot she said. Quot i have no further  Tallon says he got an education out of the incident Quot i did no to know what a Fastener was. I did no to want to appear ignorant. I finally realized a Fastener is a nut and Bolt. Somewhere in the conversation a Light came on Quot he said. As he was walking out on the breakfast Tallon thought head hedge his bet. Quot i said a this is interesting. Why done to you All get Back m touch with me after Jan. 3?�?T a Calt was a ice is wan8 for a rescuers find Backpack no skiers a pin Nln / a  Colo. Apr Rescue teams on snowmobiles and skis found a Backpack but no other sign of five skiers who officials fear were caught in an Avalanche saturday with a new snowstorm expected by tuesday night time was running out. A the Cross country skiers failed to return from a trek by one couple in the party returned safely by a different route. 3 3 the Backpack was found monday near a hut in Taylor pass where searchers had hoped the three men and two women had taken shelter. Sheriff Bob Braudis said now Ever that there was no indication that the skiers had been in the Cabin. The ground search was called off at dusk monday but air and land searches were to resume tuesday morning weather permitting. With up to 15 inches of Snow expected overnight the sheriff said searchers would have to weigh the risks of extending the search. The missing were identified a Brigitte Schluger 50, of denser. A Dee Dubin 40, and her husband Rob Dubin 3s, of Denver. A Ken Torp 50, of Conifer. Torp was chief of staf for former gov. Richard Lamm. A and Elliott Brown 43, of Golden. Hie skiers left a ski resort Friday camped overnight and were to return sunday. They had sleeping bags an it some food. \ r the two who returned Richard Rost 34, and i Girlfriend Andrea Brett 42, split off when Torp an it Brown who Are More experienced skiers decided to it return by a More difficult route Rost said. Schluge and the Dubins also Are believed to have been Sepa rated from Torp and Brown Rost said. Quot you never want to break up but when it come Down to a dispute what do you do a fight a he sail we could just As easily be up there just As easily b  As of monday afternoon 434 avalanches had Bee reported in Colorado a High country since wednesday when a storm dumped up to 7 feet of Snow the color do Avalanche information Center said