Game Tickets Are Political Football for S.D.’s Congressional Delegation

Consider the plight of Rep. Bill Lowery.

On one hand, he’s a pretty popular guy on Capitol Hill these days. On the other hand, it’s one big pain in the neck.

Lowery’s colleagues in Washington either know or suspect that, as a congressman from San Diego, he must be in possession of a bunch of tickets to this year’s Super Bowl.

But Lowery, a Republican, is not talking.

“I got dozens of phone calls from colleagues saying, ‘Hey, can you help us with tickets?’ ” Lowery said. His staff has been referring the calls to the National Football League.

Has ‘Some’ Tickets

Lowery concedes only that he has “some” tickets. He won’t say how many or what he intends to do with all of them. “I don’t need my supporters ticked off at me,” Lowery said.

He remains unmoved when informed that Rep. Jim Bates, a Democrat, has publicly acknowledged having six Super Bowl tickets. He is unswayed by the argument that the public may think Bates has out-clouted him.

“Fine. Let people bother Bates,” Lowery said.

Lowery acknowledged, however, that he is seriously considering giving a ticket to the Washington dentist who did his root canal work.

“Anybody who can give me root canal and have it painless, as it was, I want to help him out,” Bates said, possibly considering the likelihood of future dental problems.

Just how many Super Bowl tickets ended up in the hands of Washington’s elite is a subject shrouded in mystery.

The man with the key seems to be Tom Williams, a Washington lawyer and lobbyist for the NFL. Williams is the man politicians must see to get a crack at the discretionary tickets set aside by the NFL for the movers and shakers in Washington.

But he isn’t talking either. “It’s a kiss and tell kind of thing,” Williams said. “And I don’t kiss and tell.”

Williams said this year his job has been particularly difficult because San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium is one of the smaller stadiums and because the Washington Redskins “are pretty much every congressman’s team.”

“We try to help as many people as we can, but we don’t have unlimited tickets,” Williams said. “I try to be reasonable.” Anyone granted a ticket must pay $100 for it, he added.

Williams won’t say how many tickets he controls, but NFL officials say approximately 20% of this year’s 74,500 tickets are reserved for the discretion of the NFL. The remainder are divided among the 28 NFL teams, the Denver Broncos, the Redskins, the host city’s team and a fan lottery.

Bates, the San Diego area’s only Democratic congressman, said he has been keeping his six tickets in his office safe along with “my letters from Ronald Reagan.”

Bates is not going to the game and would not say what he is doing with the tickets, other than giving two to state Sen. Waddie Deddeh (D-Bonita Springs). Deddeh also has received tickets from San Diego Gas & Electric Co.

“I think personally I’ll see a better game on TV than out there where somebody’s pouring beer down your back and all the falderal that goes along with it,” Bates said.

Sen. Pete Wilson (R-Calif.) may be the big winner among San Diego area politicians, according to a source who asked not to be named. Wilson, former mayor of San Diego, is believed to have gotten 30 tickets to the game.

Came as a Shock

The revelation seemed to come as a shock to Wilson’s press aide, Linda Royster, who had said that the senator, his wife, and his administrative aide were the only people in the office known to have tickets.

“Well, I’d like to know where they are. A lot of people want them,” Royster said.

Rep. Duncan Hunter, (R-Coronado) also bought six tickets from the NFL and has tentative plans to attend the game with his wife and four relatives. He may remain in Washington, however, if he can arrange appearances on weekend talk shows to push for support for an upcoming vote on aid to the Nicaraguan Contras, he said.

The San Diego area’s other congressman, Rep. Ron Packard (R-Carlsbad), has not been bothered much by people wanting Super Bowl tickets. In fact, Packard was offered tickets and turned them down because he plans to be out of town, the spokesman said.