Bentsen Rejoins 3 Clubs He Quit During Campaign

Sen. Lloyd Bentsen (D-Tex.) has rejoined three clubs he quit last summer after being picked as the Democratic vice presidential nominee, his spokesman said Friday, contending that the clubs have no membership restrictions.

Bentsen has rejoined River Oaks Country Club, the Middleburg Tennis Club in Middleburg, Va., and the Ramada Club of Houston, spokesman Jack DeVore said. The Houston Post, which first reported the senator’s decision in Friday editions, said officials at two of the three say their groups have no black members.

“The clubs have no membership restrictions,” said DeVore. “A number of Sen. Bentsen’s associates have told him they thought it would be appropriate for him to rejoin.”

When Bentsen resigned from the clubs last August, DeVore said he did so because he believed it was “the appropriate thing to do.” He belonged to both Houston clubs for 25 years before resigning.

W. R. Steger, River Oaks manager, said the club still has no black members but has several Latino members. Sandy Myers, assistant manager at the Middleburg club, said no blacks have applied for membership.

Ramada Club manager John Divernois has described the membership of his group as “mixed.”