Parole Revocation Urged for Ex-U. S. Rep. Hansen

A U.S. Parole Commission hearing examiner recommended Wednesday that former Rep. George Hansen be sent back to prison until at least Nov. 5, Hansen’s attorney said.

“The hearing examiner recommended parole revocation, which was no surprise to us, but he also recommended that Mr. Hansen forfeit all of his free time since Jan. 7,” said attorney Frank Campbell after the parole hearing.

After serving six months of a five to 15-month sentence for breaking federal ethics laws, Hansen was released on parole from Petersburg Federal Penitentiary Dec. 19. He was ordered to file monthly financial reports and stay in Virginia. A report was due Jan. 7, but it did not comply with the rules, Campbell said.

Called Arrest Illegal

Federal marshals arrested Hansen in Omaha, Neb. as he was flying home from a speaking engagement. Hansen said his arrest was illegal because the marshals had no court order at the time.

Since his incarceration in the Alexandria City Jail, the former congressman has waged a hunger strike to protest the way he was treated by federal marshals at the time of his arrest.

The six-foot-six, 260 pound Hansen has lost 28 pounds, but appears to be in good health, said Campbell.

Hansen, 56, will be kept in the Alexandria jail until a decision by the U.S. Parole Commission which could take as long as three weeks, said Justice Department spokesman Tom Stewart.

As recommended by the examiner, Hansen’s full prison term would end Dec. 26, but with good behavior he could be out by Nov. 5, his attorney said.

Served Seven Terms

The Idaho Republican served seven terms in the House of Representatives before becoming the first congressman jailed for breaking financial disclosure laws.

“We dispute both the revocation decision and the forfeiture of the free time as credit toward his sentence,” said Campbell. “We think they are living for their own rules and lost sight of the overall purpose of the parole commission, which is to rehabilitate and return people to the society.”

Witnesses for Hansen at Wednesday’s hearing included his wife Connie, and Anne Burford, former Environmental Protection Agency administrator, who Campbell said was advising Hansen while he was out on parole.