Frazier takes
position with
Gov. Nelson
• ... , . - jr s • .
- —*--—- •’■Mii'jffuj'ir
By Brian Carlson
, Assignment Reporter
•Tommie Frazier’s latest option
has involved him in politics.
The former Nebraska quarter
back, who led the Huskers to nation
al titles in 1994 and 1995, went to
work Tuesday in the office of Gov.
Ben Nelson.
Frazier has been hired to work as
a public information officer for
Nelson. He will work as a liaison
between Nelson and the Department
of Health and Human Services and
will handle public relations matters.
Frazier, who received a bache
lor’s degree in communications at the
University of Nebraska-Lincoln, said
he was approached by Nelson earlier
, this summer about the entry-level
position.
“I told him I wasn’t big on politi
t cians,” Frazier said.
But Frazier expressed interest in
learning about state politics and
’ putting his communications skills to
t work.
In his first couple of weeks on the
job, Frazier will spend time familiar
- izing himself with state health issues.
The Department of Health and
Human Services is the state’s largest
agency, and Frazier will need to be
informed about its operations and the
politics that affect it ^
to rising early in the mornjhg and
dressing in a suit and tiejygry'day.
But so far, things are goiig welL
Karl Bieber, director'oTfr$dia
relations fbr Nelson, ^|dli^an^r
other stafifagiembers wern
with Frazil during the*;
process.
I^Bieber said Frazier
the same process as an;
cant. BidSdr reviewe
resume, interviewed hiur i
to several references. ^
One of those who put iuft.gdbd
word for Frazier was Turner GiB, the
quarterbacks coach at Nebraska.
Bieber said he-spokewith Gill for
Sbout a half hour. Gill told Bieber he
thought the js|r would be a good
opportunity Bn Frazier, and said
Frazier’s desire and focus would
make him well-suited, for file posi
tion,
Bieber said the governor’s staff
was impressed that Frazier graduated
in four years while establishing him
self as one of college football’s top
stars. Frazier’s experience in dealing
with the media could also prove help
ful, Bieber said.
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Hl
still debated
WASHINGTON (AP) —
Police background checks on 2.6
million would-be handgun buyers
last year prevented the sales of
70.000 guns, more than two-thirds
of them sought by people convict
ed or charged with felonies, the
Justice Department said Thursday.
Since the Brady Act requiring
such checks took effect in early
1994 through 1996, about 250,000
handgun and long-gun sales, were
blocked under that law or state
background check laws, the
department’s Bureau of Justice
Statistics found. They included
173.000 handgun sales, which the
report focused on.
“It’s extremely heartening to
demonstrate again that the Brady
law is ohe of the great legislative
successes of the ‘90s,” said Naomi
Paiss, spokeswoman for Handgun
Control Inc., which led the battle
to get the legislation enacted.
But the National Rifle
Association, which supports only
instant checks, criticized the lack
of prosecution of those who try to
buy guns illegally.
“Excusing 250,000 criminals
from a prison term is hardly a rea
son for celebration,” said NRA
spokesman Tom Wyld. “We
believe that the instant check
remains the superior system in part
because the instant check facili
tates die instant apprehension of a
prohibited person. ... The wait
based system prompts flight.”
The Supreme Court ruled in
June that the federal government
could not force Mte and local
authorities to conduct Brady’s
background checks, but left intact
its five-day waiting period for a
handgun purchase. Most law
enforcement officials in the 23
states affected - states that lack
their own background check laws
- have continued the checks.
Of the 70,000 block handgun
sales last year, about 47,000 - or
67.8 percent - involved buyers
convicted of a felony or charged
with one, the bureau said.
An additional 6 percent were
fugitives from justice, 6.2 percent
were prohibited by state or local
law from buying guns, 3.9 percent
were subjects of restraining orders,
1.5 percent were mentally ill or
disabled and 1.2 percent were drug
addicts.
The final 13.4 percent include
illegal aliens, juveniles, domestic
abusers, people dishonorably dis
charged from the armed services
and those who renounced their
U.S. citizenship.
Under the Brady law, the wait
ing period will be eliminated when
a national computerized instant
criminal background check system
is established by November 1998.
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