Rep. Dan Rostenkowski (D-Ill.), in letters released Saturday, conceded he misused official funds in connection with the purchase of tens of thousands of dollars worth of U.S. House mementoes but portrayed himself as an unwitting victim of House rules.
The unusual public action by Rostenkowski, a first during the nearly two years in which federal prosecutors have been investigating his finances, was an apparent effort to blunt potential political trouble tied to his legal woes.
Late last week, Republicans quickly seized on Rostenkowski’s admission that he had repaid more than $82,000 in recent weeks to the U.S. Treasury to reimburse it for purchases of souvenir items from the House stationery store. He indicated that some purchases were for personal and campaign purposes.
Republicans, including Rep. Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.), the House minority whip, suggested that a much broader investigation of spending by Rostenkowski and other members of Congress was needed. House leaders on Friday agreed to investigate how the Chicago Democrat’s reimbursements were made.
Rostenkowski’s lawyer, Robert Bennett, said Saturday “the matter of reimbursement was handled openly and above board.”
“Obviously we will cooperate with any inquiry which will only confirm we did it the right way,” Bennett said.
The new disclosures about Rostenkowski’s finances involve how he spent money at the House stationery store, a for-members-and-staff-only shop that specializes in political keepsakes.
In a letter dated Jan. 6, 1994, to Rep. Charlie Rose (D-N.C.), chairman of the House Committee on Administration, Rostenkowski outlined the purchases in far greater detail than had been known previously. His admissions also reveal, at minimum, a startling lack of attention to detail by either the congressman or his staff.
The purchases were for items such as bowls, mugs, plates, china, clocks, crystal Capitols, and chairs with an embossed picture of the Capitol. Rostenkowski also said his staff put together “gift packets” containing a copy of a book, “We The People,” and keychains for constituents who visited his office.
In some cases, Rostenkowski told Rose, the mementoes were for foreign dignitaries for which he could use official funds. But he acknowledged that other purchases by himself and the staff were personal in nature. Some were given to charities in his district to be used at auctions.
Rostenkowski said he was not aware of some of the purchases and wasn’t aware of the House rules regarding those purchases.
“It was never my intention or the intention of my staff to have the House pay for non-official items,” Rostenkowski said in a letter to Rose.
“I now understand that the House Administration Committee’s regulations prohibit the use of official funds for gifts or donations-except on overseas trips. I was unaware of the applicable rules, and this was not a matter I focused on, given my legislative duties.”
Rostenkowski said his campaign was paying for certain chairs because they were used in his campaign offices, although he said they are now being kept in storage in Chicago.
Rostenkowski then wrote a personal check to the U.S. Treasury for $19,695.74 and sent another check for $45,032.88 from his campaign committee. On Feb. 1, he informed Rose in writing that he had written a third check, for $17,366.54 for reimbursement for items purchased in 1988 and 1989.
In acknowledging the items purchased for personal use, Rostenkowski said: “I fully intended to pay for these items. However, I relied, unjustifiably as it turns out, on office procedures that proved to be inadequate to ensure that such expenditures would be identified and brought to my attention.”
