If you recall, a few weeks ago, Rep. Dan Burton, chairman of the House Government Reform and Oversight Committee made national news when he called President Clinton a “scumbag”. This was in reference to the Lewinsky case regardless of what the man is now trying to claim.

Recently, the Indianapolis Star and Indianopolis News reported in their Saturday editions an affair Burton had with a woman who worked for a state agency while he was serving in the Indiana Senate. Not only did he have an affair, he also fathered a child with the woman (name not disclosed).

He has paid child support but has never claimed publicly his son, only the children he fathered with his wife, Barbera. His son even has a different name from his. Thus, as far as the public is concerned, up until September 5, 1998, Burton only had three children.

Of course, he claims he has never perjured himself. However, his campaign literature does not mention his illegitimate son. That fact is omitted. By being omitted, isn’t this actually a form of perjury. The truth, and only the truth during his campaigns, demands the illegitimate son should have been named since he was Burton’s child.

It is not being “straight arrow” as Burton is now trying to claim. Or, again I ask, is the definition of truth and ‘being straight arrow' different for members of Congress than it is for we ordinary people?

Thus, once again, the lack of integrity and morality is proved to be the mainstay. So, let’s see - in the current government, Republicans are leading in the race to immorality (that’s im- morality, not immortality). It’s Gingich and Burton, Republicans, to President Clinton, Democrats.

All three are party and national leaders. Who will be forced to come forward next with their admissions to having had illicit sexual affairs? Or, will the remaining members of Congress keep hiding the truth from their constituency, the people of this nation, while deriding another for having the same transgressions as their own?

Campaigns will tell, won’t they?