Symms’ Role On TV Has Tongues Wagging

In 20 years representing Idaho in the U.S. House and Senate, Republican Steve Symms became one of the state’s best-known political figures.

So when he appeared recently in a few seconds of television film footage from Washington, D.C., a lot of people recognized him and wondered what he is doing nowadays.

The coverage was of California Gov. Pete Wilson’s visit to Washington. Wilson was working with Republicans in favor of abortion rights about staging a fight at August’s national convention to remove the anti-abortion plank from the party platform.

The few seconds that Symms appeared in the footage came as he was walking with Wilson down a hallway, apparently steering him into a meeting room where GOP leaders would be talking about the divisive issue.

A lot of people wondered why Symms, a staunch abortion foe who retired from the Senate in 1992, would be involved with a group of Republicans plotting to overturn the party’s anti-abortion stand.

But he says he simply is earning a living. Symms has worked in Washington as a lobbyist since retiring.

He was scheduled to meet with Wilson during the governor’s trip to Washington to discuss a California project. But Wilson spent so much time before the TV cameras that Symms had to settle for a brief visit while they walked toward the room.

Symms said one of his daughters was among those who recognized him on the tube and immediately called to find out just what was going on.

He assured those who called his Alexandria, Va., home that he has no intention of getting into the abortion debate.