Rep. Rostenkowski

In response to “Rostenkowski Faces 17 Counts,” June 1:

Rep. Dan Rostenkowski (D-Ill.) has all the class and resourcefulness of an itinerant purse snatcher. With the entire multitrillion-dollar federal treasury at his disposal, he settles for grubbing a few measly bucks out of the House Post Office till. What kind of petty and uninspired example is this to set for the new members of his celestial profession?

Has the fellow no knowledge or appreciation of history? His ridiculous little misappropriation is an embarrassment and humiliation to his numerous political antecedents who labored so mightily to achieve the high standards of corruption and malfeasance required to bring us the spellbinding scandals of Tammany Hall and Teapot Dome, the impeachment-inspiring misdeeds of Watergate and the creative machinations of Iran-Contra, to name but a few of the more celebrated perversions of political trust.

It would be advisable for Rosty to retire, for he obviously does not have the right stuff, and his financial ambitions seem far too humble to excite the kind of PAC support that everyone of his calling needs to sustain himself in office.

ROBERT S. COUGHLIN

Rancho Palos Verdes

* It has occurred to me that President Clinton can assist himself with the Congress and Rostenkowski’s influence therein regarding health care legislation by using a well-tried, more-than-once-executed Republican President’s maneuver: Grant a pardon! Former Presidents Ford, Reagan and Bush all did for their friends and cohorts! Just an idea.

ARTHUR J. AUNE

Newport Beach

* Rostenkowski is stricken with the disease common to politicians known as “violation of public trust” and it can’t be helped with antibiotics.

MARY YASOIAN

South Pasadena