Former Senate Official Pleads Guilty to Conflict of Interest

Henry K. Giugni, the Senate sergeant-at-arms from 1987-90, pleaded guilty Wednesday to a misdemeanor charge that he violated a conflict-of-interest law while a Senate official.

Appearing in U.S. district court, Giugni admitted accepting a first-class, $2,722 Washington-to-Honolulu, round-trip airline ticket from American Telephone & Telegraph Co. in 1988.

Three weeks earlier, he had requested installation of an AT&T; telephone system for the Capitol Police. Giugni was on the Police Board, which has overall supervision of Congress’ police force.

The statute carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison, a $100,000 fine and an additional year of court-supervised release. Sentencing was set for Jan. 29.

Giugni was charged by the U.S. attorney’s office with accepting the ticket “as compensation . . . for representational services rendered and to be rendered . . . before the United States Senate.”

On June 6, 1988, Giugni wrote the chairman of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration for “approval to purchase and install” the new telephone system, according to papers filed by Assistant U.S. Atty. Robert R. Chapman. The system was installed.

However, the plea agreement said no impropriety was found in the procurement process for the $219,000 system. Further, it said neither Giugni nor the AT&T; official who offered the airline ticket was aware of the contract when the trip was first discussed.