Sam Johnson

I wholeheartedly agree with Russell Baker that journalists aren't in touch with our nation's poor ["Affluence Remakes the Newsroom," by Tim Rutten, Dec. 13]. The solution lies at the top. We have to convince those who do the hiring at major papers that "Living Life 101" might actually be a better classroom than those that simply try to teach silver-spoon students how to empathize with the poor, homeless and downtrodden. Sam Johnson Chicago

When House Republicans needed a John McCain-like war hero to lead their fight against Democratic assaults on President Bush's Iraq strategy, they turned to another former POW, a Texas Republican named Sam Johnson. Though less known than Sen. McCain (R-Ariz.), his onetime cellmate in Vietnam, Johnson spent nearly seven years in a prisoner of war camp, about half of it in solitary confinement.

A federal grand jury in Charlotte, N. C., returned indictments against two more former associates of the defunct PTL television ministry. Sam Johnson, who was minister at PTL's Heritage Village Church, was charged with 12 counts of perjury for his testimony to a special grand jury about a cash payment to former church secretary Jessica Hahn.

I wholeheartedly agree with Russell Baker that journalists aren't in touch with our nation's poor ["Affluence Remakes the Newsroom," by Tim Rutten, Dec. 13]. The solution lies at the top. We have to convince those who do the hiring at major papers that "Living Life 101" might actually be a better classroom than those that simply try to teach silver-spoon students how to empathize with the poor, homeless and downtrodden. Sam Johnson Chicago

A PTL pastor in Ft. Mill, S.C., called the bankrupt ministry "a scam" and said it suffered financial collapse because idolatry reigned as the faithful worshiped hotels, water slides and trains instead of Jesus Christ. The Rev. Sam Johnson, a former Assemblies of God missionary who pastors PTL's Heritage Village Church, said the ministry used contributions to create a religious Disneyland, showing followers a good time rather than salvation. "This is idolatry," Johnson said.

A federal judge in Charlotte, N. C., dismissed perjury charges against PTL pastor Samuel Johnson, saying the government's case against Jim Bakker's spiritual successor was circumstantial. The decision by U.S. District Judge Robert Potter made Johnson, 50, the first of five PTL defendants to emerge from court a free man. Potter acted on a defense motion to dismiss the case after the government presented only four witnesses and rested its case.

When House Republicans needed a John McCain-like war hero to lead their fight against Democratic assaults on President Bush's Iraq strategy, they turned to another former POW, a Texas Republican named Sam Johnson. Though less known than Sen. McCain (R-Ariz.), his onetime cellmate in Vietnam, Johnson spent nearly seven years in a prisoner of war camp, about half of it in solitary confinement.

Australian lightweight boxing champion Dale Artango will meet Sam Johnson of Orlando, Fla., at Festival Hall Feb. 17, the promoters confirmed Sunday. Johnson is the Florida state titleholder and successfully defended his championship against Keith Jackson last month.

Attorneys seated a jury dominated by churchgoers today to hear federal charges against PTL pastor Sam Johnson, who is accused of lying to the grand jury that indicted ministry founder Jim Bakker in 1988. The government asserts that Johnson perjured himself when he told the grand jury that he could not remember where he got $10,000 that served as the initial "hush money" payment to Jessica Hahn, whose sexual encounter with Bakker led to the evangelist's fall from grace. Assistant U.S. Atty.

San Diego State reserve guard Rodney Jones, who sprained his left foot and ankle against Utah Saturday, is expected to miss the Aztecs' home games this week against Texas El Paso and New Mexico, trainer Brian Barry said. Jones is averaging 3.1 points and 8.6 minutes per game. Senior forward Sam Johnson, also bothered by a sprained left ankle, is probable for Thursday's game against UTEP, Barry said.

A federal judge in Charlotte, N. C., dismissed perjury charges against PTL pastor Samuel Johnson, saying the government's case against Jim Bakker's spiritual successor was circumstantial. The decision by U.S. District Judge Robert Potter made Johnson, 50, the first of five PTL defendants to emerge from court a free man. Potter acted on a defense motion to dismiss the case after the government presented only four witnesses and rested its case.

A federal grand jury in Charlotte, N. C., returned indictments against two more former associates of the defunct PTL television ministry. Sam Johnson, who was minister at PTL's Heritage Village Church, was charged with 12 counts of perjury for his testimony to a special grand jury about a cash payment to former church secretary Jessica Hahn.

A PTL pastor in Ft. Mill, S.C., called the bankrupt ministry "a scam" and said it suffered financial collapse because idolatry reigned as the faithful worshiped hotels, water slides and trains instead of Jesus Christ. The Rev. Sam Johnson, a former Assemblies of God missionary who pastors PTL's Heritage Village Church, said the ministry used contributions to create a religious Disneyland, showing followers a good time rather than salvation. "This is idolatry," Johnson said.

A federal grand jury today indicted two associates of Jim Bakker for lying during the PTL fraud investigation. Sam Johnson, former minister at Heritage Village Church, was charged with 12 counts of perjury for his testimony about a $10,000 check that was part of $265,000 in hush money paid to former church secretary Jessica Hahn. Evangelist John Wesley Fletcher was charged with one count of perjury for his testimony about how Bakker was introduced to Hahn.

Two Republican members of the House Education and Workforce Committee asked the Labor Department on Friday to investigate the AFL-CIO campaign against corporations supporting President Bush' s Social Security proposal. The request came after two investment firms and a trade group withdrew from business coalitions backing Bush when union leaders threatened to withdraw pension funds from portfolios managed by the firms.