Word: rostenkowski
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Investigators then zeroed in on House members whose stamp purchases seemed excessive. Rostenkowski was the hands-down leader with $29,672 worth of stamps -- enough to mail 50 first-class letters every day of the six-year period under review by the grand jury. Joe Kolter and Austin Murphy, both Pennsylvania Democrats, were also big customers at the House post office...
Federal officials are puzzled as to why the three needed so many stamps when the congressional franking privilege allows them to mail almost anything official simply by displaying their signature on the envelope. "I mail a lot," shrugs Rostenkowski when asked about his voracious appetite for stamps. "Overseas mail, you've got to put stamps...
Called to testify before a federal grand jury in July, Rostenkowski refused, citing his Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination. Instead, he invited investigators to his office to talk "informally" about the House post office; prosecutor Stephens turned down the offer. Murphy and Kolter also refused to testify...
Last month prosecutors subpoenaed records from Rostenkowski's 1992 re- election campaign as well as records of Serafin Associates in Chicago, a company that worked for Rostenkowski's campaign. The Illinois Democrat has also been ordered to turn over his vouchers for goods and services over the past six years. In addition, at least 20 of Rostenkowski's former and current staff members have been called to testify. Federal prosecutors are trying to learn whether Rostenkowski and other legislators made efforts to coerce staff members into shielding them from criminal charges by taking responsibility for the alleged scheme...
Investigators initially suspected that Congressmen were buying stamps with office-expense vouchers, then trading them in for cash. Now it seems that the thousands of 29 cents stamps may never have physically changed hands at all; Rostenkowski's campaign may have written checks for postage and, instead of getting stamps, received cash from cooperative employees at the House post office. A source close to the investigation frames the central question in these terms: "Did they bring checks and, instead of buying stamps, get money and then take that money...