SENATORS STILL GETTING BIG FEES.(Main)

Byline: Sara Fritz and Paul Houston Los Angeles Times

Members of the Senate received at least $2.8 million in appearance fees last year, reflecting little change in the flow of special interest money to Congress despite mounting criticism of the practice.

According to the Senate's annual financial disclosure reports, which were made public Friday, only 14 of the 95 senators who filed reports earlier this week refused to accept fees for speeches and other appearances. Four of them were newly elected last November and did not serve in the Senate in 1988.

Even though Senate rules prohibit them from keeping any such fees in excess of $35,600 a year, some …