■ Americans for Tax Reform presses congressmen to sign no-tax pledge; next step is getting them to honor it. GOP Reps. Steve Gunderson (Wise.), Wayne Gilchrest (Md.), Jerry Solomon (N.Y.), and Bill Young, (Fla.), and Democratic Rep. Kika de la Garza (Tex.) all broke pledge in voting for amendments to Bill Clinton’s tax package or the package itself. . . . New Jersey Rep. Dick Zimmer (R.) has launched anti-tax group to persuade fellow Garden State representatives and senators to vote against higher taxes. . . . Congressional conservatives seem poised to call for resignation of Chamber of Commerce officials after CoC’s reversal from supporting pro-growth economics to supporting Clintonomics. . . . Only one out of the nine Democrats running in special elections to fill vacant House seats this year is articulating support for Clinton economic plan. . . . Michael Barone reports that after 1990 budget deal, 65 per cent of Democrats and 70 per cent of Republicans who were up for reelection saw approval ratings drop. . . . Conservatives heartened by likelihood that either Bob Ernst or Bill McCampbell will get GOP nod for June 8 race to fill California seat vacated by now-OMB Director Leon Panetta. . . . Looking ahead to ’94, some Democrats seem vulnerable. Sen. Dennis DeConcini (Ariz.) trails conservative Rep. John Kyl 44 to 39 per cent in early polls. DeConcini, tainted by Keating Five scandal, is generally unpopular; in fact, some feel he may be knocked out in primary by Arizona Secretary of State Dick Mahoney. . . . In Pennsylvania, Sen. Harris Wofford angered pro-lifers by coming out in support for Freedom of Choice Act and angered pro-choicers by proposing restricting amendments to it. He promised in his campaign against Dick Thornburgh in 1991 to support Pennsylvania restrictions and oppose federal law codifying Roe.
■ Pollsters Fabrizio & McLaughlin found that only 31 per cent would favor Mario Cuomo’s nomination to the Supreme Court. When respondents were told Cuomo opposes death penalty, only 19 per cent were in favor. . . . Same pollsters found that Hillary Clinton has an approval rating of 57 per cent, but Hillary Rodham Clinton has approval rating of 49 per cent. . . . Conservative Rep. Bill Paxon (N.Y.) is chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee. But it seems the views of his girlfriend, liberal GOP Rep. Susan Molinari (N.Y.), are being given priority at NRCC. Rep. Molinari is close to Republican for Choice head Ann Stone, and has a hand in influencing Paxon to select pro-choicers. . . . Demand by Jesse Jackson for boycott of baseball until more blacks are put in front offices recalls earlier statement by Toronto Blue Jays’ Dave Stewart: Jackson, he says, “seems to pop up when it’s opportunistic for him. It’s a shame to ask [players] to make a difference for something that’s bigger than baseball.”
Comments