Wright Paid Off Debts, Form Shows : Lawmakers Release Their Financial Disclosure Statements

House Speaker Jim Wright, under fire for allegedly using his position for personal gain, climbed out of debt last year, according to a financial disclosure statement released today.

The forms showed that the Texas Democrat paid off debts of between $105,000 and $200,000 and now has no liabilities, but his assets also declined. He listed 1988 assets of $31,005 to $100,000--compared with between $155,000 and $435,000 the year before.

House members and senators must annually report their outside income, including speaking fees--known as honorariums--gifts, assets and liabilities. The reports of most of the 435 House members were released today; the Senate’s were released last Friday.

TV Comedy Careers

The forms included those of two members of the House who had previous careers in television comedies and a former baseball player.

Former actor Fred Grandy (R-Iowa) reported $20,021 in residual income from “The Love Boat,” the long-running series in which he played Gopher, a skirt-chasing officer on a cruise ship.

Ben Jones (D-Ga.) reported $11,212 in residuals. Jones appeared on the “Dukes of Hazzard.”

Republican Jim Bunning of Kentucky, a former pitcher, got a $350 royalty check from the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Assn.

Hank Brown (R-Colo.) listed not only his own income but that of his wife and three teen-age children. Christy Brown, 19, made $1,600 working in another congressman’s office and $295 for baby-sitting and yard work. Her sister Lori, 17, worked in a movie theater for $1,547 and earned $367 for baby-sitting and 16-year-old Harry got $370 for yard work.

Ben Nighthorse Campbell (D-Colo.) earned $5,000 for his jewelry designs.

Ethics Rules

Speaker Wright has been charged with violating House ethics rules for activities that include getting abnormally high royalties from bulk sales of a book and for his financial relationship with Ft. Worth developer George Mallick.

Wright reported no more book earnings last year, but he paid off a note worth between $50,000 and $100,000 from Mallightco, Inc., the partnership he formed with Mallick.

He listed owning less than $5,000 worth of stock in Jewell Enterprises, a nursing home operation that has also drawn the attention of the House Ethics Committee.

Investments and $30,000 in speaking fees brought Wright’s income up to a range of $188,183 to $203,579, nearly doubling his Speaker’s salary of $115,000. He reported receiving no gifts.