Ex-Aide Took Campaign Funds, Dyson Says

CAMBRIDGE, Md. —  Rep. Roy Dyson (D-Md.) said Monday that he has made “mistakes in judgment” while in office and that his former top aide who committed suicide had improperly pocketed campaign funds.

Dyson also said he was returning $18,000 in campaign contributions made by officials connected to Unisys Corp., one of several defense contractors under investigation for suspected violations of contract procurement regulations.

Dyson said his former top aide and campaign manager, Tom Pappas, improperly pocketed nearly $7,300 in campaign funds. Pappas wrote $7,275 in checks to other Dyson staff members and told them to give him the cash, Dyson said.

“I must accept ultimate responsibility for these errors in judgment because Tom Pappas was my campaign manager,” Dyson said. “I was not aware . . . . “

Pappas committed suicide in May, 1988, by jumping from a New York hotel after newspaper reports that were highly critical of his management of Dyson’s congressional office.