Politicians Get A Break

Gov. Zell Miller and Mayor Bill Campbell don’t see anything wrong with Olympic organizers offering politicians a first crack at buying tickets to the 1996 Games, and each plans to do so.

Atlanta City Councilman C.T. Martin doesn’t approve of the idea, but he plans to accept anyway.

“I’m going to use the tickets for constituents,” said Martin. “If I had my druthers, I would be opposed to getting the tickets… . I don’t want them to do me any favors.”

The three officials were among those surveyed by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution about the offer, made by the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games to 435 state and local officials. The deal has drawn criticism because the public must take part in a lottery to win the opportunity to purchase tickets.

The newspaper reported most of the officials it contacted said there was nothing wrong with the offer, though most do not plan to accept it.