Wilson Lets TV Crew Film Senate Newsletter Facility

Sen. Pete Wilson (R-Calif.), who is leading a battle against taxpayer-funded congressional newsletters, caused a small ruckus Tuesday by leading a network camera crew through the Senate facility where the newsletters are printed and mailed.

The televised look at the carefully guarded, seldom-seen mailing operation was ruled out of order under Senate rules by the sergeant-at-arms and the Senate Rules Committee. The sergeant-at-arms is in charge of Senate security.

Wilson, who has made the anti-newsletter issue a key part of his campaign for governor of California, said he took the ABC News camera crew to the facilities so that the American taxpayers could see what their tax dollars are funding. He said he had been unaware of the Senate rules forbidding such a televised tour.

But Wilson’s critics accused him of grandstanding.

“Pete Wilson is exploiting this issue for political advantage,” said Rep. Vic Fazio (D-Sacramento), a defender of the congressional newsletters. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he got a 30-second television campaign spot out of this one.”

Wilson’s staff said the senator agreed to lead ABC on a tour after Senate employees refused to allow the network camera crews to film the mailing operation without the sponsorship of a senator. Wilson said he was disappointed that a House-Senate conference committee had agreed Monday night to a compromise that provided $114 million in fiscal 1990--about $84 million of that amount for mailings and $30 million to pay for a shortfall in mass mailings this year.