Casper Star-Tribune from Casper, Wyoming • 14

Thursday, November 15, 1990 Niobrara Gulf A1 4 Star-Tribune, Casper, Wyo. Keating Continued from Al based thrift before it was seized by the government in April 1989. Each also received money, totaling $1.3 million, in campaign contributions or donations to favored causes from Keating and his associates. Each denies any connection between Kcating's money and intervention with regulators. The basic issue is whether any of the Keating Five violated Senate rules against exerting improper influence in return for compensation.

The question has enormous ramifications for the three Democrats and three Republicans who sit in judgment on the ethics panel and for the Senate itself. Members of Congress routinely intervene with the federal government for constituents, 'ontributors and friends. Where the line of impropriety falls is an uncomfortable issue for Congress. Technically, the initial question is more narrow. The committee scrutiny is still in its preliminary stage, and the panel is to decide whether investigations should be advanced or terminated for any of the five.

The committee ultimately could vote to rebuke any of the five or recommend to the full Senate a more serious punishment, such as his evidence said he won't function as a prosecutor. "What is important in this proceeding is that there be a full disclosure of the facts, that justice be done to each of the five senators and we are dealing with five separate cases," he said. "I as special counsel am here to assist the committee in reaching the right result and explain to the public what occurred and what did not occur." It was unlikely Keating would be called to testify, congressional sources said. He has not been granted immunity and it's expected he would refuse to testify, citing constitutional rights against self-incrimination as he did before the House Banking Committee last year. The hearings are scheduled to run the rest of this week and first two days of next week.

Heflin has said they may take 10 days, but the abundance of lawyers and open-ended time for questioning may make it run much longer. The committee has denied requests by Glenn and McCain for separate hearings. To get to this stage, the ethics committee apparently ignored its chief counsel's private recommendation that proceedings be dropped against McCain and Glenn. Its decision fo proceed with hearings on all five postponed the issue beyond last week's election. months for sanctions against Iraq to take full effect.

He said that was "far beyond the time frame I thought appropriate." According to an administration source, House Majority Leader Richard Gephardt, told Bush that waiting a year or a year and a half for sanctions to force Iraq out of Kuwait was a better choice than war. Michel told Bush he could not wait that long, and Rep. John Murtha, chairman of the House Appropriations defense subcommittee, said the president should be prepared to move soon, the source said. Rep. David Obey, said Democrats were unanimous in counseling patience.

"How long are you willing to wait it out to save lives? My answer is, a fair amount of time." Baker said the sanctions are working but might not be enough to force an Iraqi withdrawal. "I don't think we can say that today with certainty. "We know they are beginning to bite," Baker said. Some lawmakers, including Senate Republican Leader Bob Dole, have called for a special session of Congress to vote on the gulf crisis, but that proposal appeared dead Wednesday. "There is no support for it on either side," Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Claiborne Pell, said as he left the White House.

Rep. William Broomfield, senior Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said there was a bipartisan agreeT ment that "it would be just poor judgment to have it right now." Sen. Jesse Helms, said the campaign against Iraqi President Saddam Hussein already has been damaged by the arguments about the president's ability to commit American forces to war. "If I was Saddam Hussein, I would be doing handsprings of joy," Helms said. Federal regulators seeking $6.8 billion from Drexel censure or expulsion.

On Wednesday, Cranston released a letter to the committee saying that one of its members, Sen. Jesse Helms, made remarks in his recent re-election campaign that reveal "an absence of impartiality." Cranston's attorney, William Taylor, said Helms criticized his opponent for receiving $5,000 from Cranston's political action committee. Taylor also cited news accounts quoting Helms as calling Cranston "the leading water carrier" for Keating. A receptionist at Helms' office said neither Helms nor his press spokesman was available to respond. Cranston will make an opening statement before the panel, but will not testify because he is undergoing radiation therapy.

The ethics panel is chaired by Sen. Howell Heflin, D-Ala. The chief counsel is Robert Bennett, a prominent Washington lawyer. Bennett will present evidence. Lawyers for each of the five will cross-examine witnesses and present their own cases.

Committee members will question them as well. Despite the trial-like qualities, Bennett who declined to discuss activity when none existed, disguising and delaying losses on the thrifts' junk-bond portfolios. Drexel, which sought Chapter 1 1 bankruptcy court protection in February, faces billions of dollars more in claims in more than 100 civil lawsuits filed by investors, shareholders and former clients. The FDIC and Resolution Trust claims are based on losses incurred by the failed thrifts on investments in high-yield debt securities underwritten or managed by Drexel. Several big savings and loans invested billions of dollars in the bonds.

But the junk bond market collapsed about a year ago, devastating the value of these securities. The FDIC and Resolution Trust claimed that Drexel made misrepresentations about the sale of the bonds and gave payoffs to managers of some involved in alleged illegal trading with Drexel. cility should receive)." Commissioner Distad said, "I feel there is an implied commitment at this point and time that they will be on a ballot with other entities. The question is which other projects will find their way onto the ballot." The arts complex will have to proceed without the endorsement of the Casper City Council, however. On Aug.

21, the council voted 8-1 against placing the funding proposal on the general election ballot. As a result of the council decision, Deuel said she chose to seek the special election. During that City Council meeting, several members of the council expressed concern about a possible voter backlash and rejection of the fourth cent optional sales tax that ultimately was approved by voters in the November election. Jane Yeamans, elections deputy with the Natrona County Clerks office, said there would be enough time to organize a special election before the end of December. "It could be very hectic, but we could do it," she said.

"The only object of concern would be the absentees (voters). It would be questionable whether we had sufficient time to get the absentees out, have them vote and get the absentees back in time for the election." Yeamans said she is not aware that a request has been made for a special election, noting that it would cost between $38,000 and $40,000. Open Thursday Nights mtU p.m. 'ttf "Ug FREE IMPRINTING on box Christmas Cards Hallmark Western Edition adlers Hallmarl Eastridge Mall Continued from Al think there are provisions in there that are clearly unconstitutional." The 1 973 act, prompted by congressional discontent over the way U.S. troops were used during the Vietnam war, requires the president to notify Congress within 48 hours after American forces are put into a situation where they may become engaged in hostilities.

It also requires those forces to be withdrawn within 90 days if Congress doesn't declare war. Baker refused to elaborate on his pledge that Bush would abide by the Constitution. "What you cannot do in this period is speak to hypotheticals," the secretary said. "The president feels very strongly, as prior presidents before him have, that he has a firm obligation to protect American citizens." Baker said the huge buildup of U.S. troops did not mean the United States was plunging into war, but "it is important, since we cannot rule out the option of force, that we lay an appropriate political and military foundation for that option." Fears of war in the Middle East were flamed by Bush's decision last week to send upwards of 200,000 more troops to the gulf, nearly doubling the American military force there and adding what Bush called an offensive capability.

Reading from his notes of the meeting, House Minority Leader Robert Michel, quoted Bush as saying, "We haven't crossed any particular Rubicon here" with the latest increase. For his own part, Michel said, "I don't look for the kind of action some people are anticipating, real soon. We want to continue to counsel with our allies" and the United Nations. However, Michel said he was "a little distressed" that some participants in the meeting with Bush had spoken of waiting up to 18 Proposals Continued from Al Amendment No. 2 received 88 votes more than the amount required for passage.

That difference is less than 1 percent of the total vote cast in the election, however, and under state law that narrow margin of victory requires a recount, she explained. Karpan interpreted the narrow margin as "lukewarm support" by the voters of state government reorganization. Amendment No. 1, which passed on a vote of 124,789 to 29,054, means county sheriffs no longer will be able to keep the fees they charge for serving civil documents but instead have to deposit the money in the county's general fund. Amendment No.

3, which passed 86,195 to 57,763, deletes the constitutional requirement for a state Board of Charities and Reform, but still requires the Legislature to provide for the duties currently performed by the agency. Amendment No. 4, which passed 1 1 2,2 1 3 to 36,5 1 1 restricts the use of public employee retirement funds to purposes benefiting the members, retirees, and beneficiaries of the retirement system. While the canvassing board's results produced slightly different vote totals from last week's unofficial results, the changes did not affect the outcome of any race. Official totals for U.S.

Senate showed Republican incumbent Alan Simpson with 100,784 votes, to Democratic challenger Kathy Helling's 56,848. In the U.S. House race GOP incumbent Craig Thomas received 87,078 votes, while Democrat Pete Maxfield polled 70,977. jpZZJZXZIZJIXUXZZXXZZXj HOPPE Suits AO CIPTOOU 0 Blouses (IP TO 85 OFF Dresses UP TO 60 OFF Coordinates AO OPTO JU 0 OFFl FrL, Sat. 10-5 New Items Arriving Daily! 235 E.

1st (Next Door to Porter's) Lale Continued from Al County. It later was combined with Platte County, and under a reapportionment plan approved by the Legislature in 1981, it was merged with Goshen County, according to Sen. Russ Zimmer, R-Goshen-Nio-brara. The county nearly lost its House scat when the 1981 reapportionment plan which maintained the Niobrara seat was challenged by the Wyoming League of Women Voters. The league argued the plan violated the one-man, one-vote concept of proportional representation.

Under the plan, the county kept its lone representative in the 64-member House, although its population amounted to less than 11 50th of the state population. The case went to the U.S. Supreme Court, which in 1 983 upheld the reapportionment plan in a 5-4 vote. Such over-representation or "deviation" from a system that insures equal representation in the Legislature has been the basis of numerous legal challenges throughout the country as well as in Wyoming. Several groups have argued that low population counties, such as Platte, Niobrara and Goshen, have historically had more influence in the Legislature than their populations justify.

The result has been that a voter in those counties may have as much as 80 to 90 percent more representation in the Legislature than would a voter in a high population county such as Natrona, Laramie or Sweetwater. Legal challenges in other states have shown that courts are rarely willing to accept any such "deviation" of representation in excess of 10 percent. Scott said that the state should work to preserve its "unique" system of county based legislative districts. "Our system has some tremendous advantages, one of which is that you cannot gerrymander it," Scott said. "Most members are running from competitive districts where either party has a proven chance of electing a member.

That's a healthier system." Republican Melvin ZumBrun-nen, Niobrara county's only representative in the House, could not be reached for comment. The joint corporations committee is scheduled to meet in Casper on Friday to continue discussion of reapportionment issues. Rep. Mike Enzi, R-Campbell, agreed. "If there is something done with the spikes in voc-ed" the overall system will be made even more fair, he said.

Eddins drew his conclusions from figures provided to the committee by staff members from the Legislative Service Office. The figures show "the system isn't out of whack," the LSO's Steve Sommers said. The LSO based its conclusions on an analysis of the amount of variation from school districts' average entitlements per student since the system was overhauled in 1 983. The changes in the variations since that time have been too slight to conclude that the system is becoming any less fair, Sommers said. Baumberger, of Rock Springs, and Wold, of the House committee, contended that the system is unfair to urban districts because the funding formulas lump schools inside a city limit together as though they were one large school.

It would be more fair, and the system would pay their districts more per student, they said, if the schools were considered separately for funding purposes. A study of funding "school by school" throughout the state would show disparities and inequities hidden when only district per-student spending averages are considered, Wold said. HOLIDAY CRAFT FAIR NOV. 23rd. 24th, 25th 9-5; Sun.

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and the Resolution Trust Corp. said they would seek to recover $750 million from Drexel and former Drexel junk-bond leader Michael Milken from two separate federal restitution funds. The two agencies claimed Drexel monopolized the $200 billion high-yield debt securities market and maintained an appearance of Arts Continued from Al islated three cent sales tax on the dollar. Of that, a little less than two cents go to the state, and one is returned to the local government of origin. In the general election, voters approved an optional fourth cent tax that would provide revenue to the Optional One Cent No.

9 Sales tax projects. The Optional One Cent is expected to gather $25 million in city and county revenue over a four-year period. Commission Chairman Behrens said she has only heard from the Bar Nunn and Mills town councils concerning the matter. Behrens said the Bar Nunn approval had stipulations stating the arts complex should be put on a special election ballot only if other projects are also on the ballot. "It's my feeling that the new' commission will have to deal with that in terms of what those other issues are," she said.

Behrens said the arts complex could be accompanied on the ballot by a proposed jail facility and funds for improving the Wyoming Medical Center. "I thought it was something that would have come forward in the spring." Commissioner Sutherland said she thinks the commission should vote to place the center on a special election ballot. "If it's something they (the coalition) want on the ballot I think they should have the opportunity to have people vote on it and let the public decide," she said. Sutherland said she did not know if any other projects would be included on the ballot. If a special election is tabled until the spring, Sutherland said, "the new commission should make the decision when (the election should take place) and how much (the fa- See Your Painted Room Before You Buy the Paint with Benjamin Moore's Video Color Planner at 611 W.

Collins 234-6453 Hughes Continued from Al won the primary," Hughes said. "That was my expectation on election night or a few days before. It certainly wasn't all the way through the campaign." The Republican said it hasn't been easy seeing his name splashed across editorial pages in Wyoming newspapers. "It's disheartening after all the work I put into the party," he said. "It probably has done far more damage to me than to her and I wasn't running for office." Hughes said he supported Mead when she launched her campaign and "I continued to be a strong supporter of hers even though she had problems in the campaign." As for his political future in Wyoming, Hughes said, "obviously this won't help." Education Continued from Al voc-ed funding is also a source of considerable unfairness in the system.

The Green River, Campbell County, and Evanston school districts have threatened to sue the state if the Legislature does not make sufficient progress toward funding fairness in general. Natrona County school officials have said they may join the others. The system of distributing general operating funds is intentionally weighted in favor of smaller, more rural school districts on the theory that they cost more per student to run. Don Baumberger, superintendent of the Rock Springs school district, said that, though it is clear rural schools cost more to run, the system still "shortchanges the larger schools." But Eddins said during the committee's meeting Tuesday that an exhaustive statistical study of the CRU system since it underwent its most recent overhaul in 1983 convinced him the system is a good one. "During this year we are not going to change" the formulas, he said.

"They're just not out of whack," he said, then admitted "there are still voices telling us otherwise." The possible lawsuit is "just the risk we'll have to take," he said. "I feel confident we're on solid ground. "You can't do anymore than that," Eddins said. "1 just don't see the inequity that (some school administrators) see in it." Pub Lunch Dinner Special ddQ Ribs BOOK YOUR CHRISTMAS PARTY NOWI o-zszi .759 CY Avenue CASPER ELKS MEXICAN LUNCH' TODAY Friday In The Lounge "JIM COX THE OUTLAWS" 8PM Midnight Saturday, November 17th Dining Room Closed This Evening Elks Bona Fide Guests Only! 7th fcf Center mm Maura Gov. Mike Sullivan received 104,638 votes in his successful reelection bid, while Republican Mary Mead received 55,471.

The official results certified Sullivan as the record holder for greatest margin of victory in a state gubernatorial contest, as he received 65.3 percent of the vote. Former Gov. Ed Herschler was the previous record holder, as he beat Republican Warren Morton with 63. 1 percent of the vote in the 1982 election. In other races, Karpan received 100,729 to beat Republican Tom Zollinger, who received Republican Dave Ferrari beat Democrat Charles Carroll incumbent Treasurer Stan Smith, a Republican, received 101,194 votes to win a third term over Democrat Ron Redo, who received 50,587 votes; and Republican Diana Ohman received 9 1 ,223 votes to beat three-term incumbent Lynn Simons, who received 66,319.

Two Supreme Court justices who were up for retention succeeded in winning new eight-year terms. Justice Michael Golden received 97,483 votes for retention, with 37,632 against. Justice Richard V. Thomas received 98,822 for retention, with 36,357 opposed. CORRECTION NOTICE The Casper Events Center ad promoting Hello, Dolly in the Sunday, Nov.

1 1 th edition of the Casper Star-Tribune neglects to note that KTWO TELEVISION joins the Casper Events Center in welcoming Hello, Dolly to Casper. We regret any inconvenience this may have caused. THE WYOMING COWBOYS ARE HEADED FOR THE COPPER BOWL IN TUCSON CALL US FOR DETAILS ON OUR SPECIAL CHARTER! Travel Management Agency, Inc. Downtown Casper 265-9020 Westside Casper 265-7614 Eastridge Casper 577-6468 tfs The Pet AT Animal Hospital of Casper OFFERS Complimentary baths to all canine guests.4 Make arrangements now for Thanksgiving 2060 Fairgrounds Rd. 2GG-1GG0 For dogs in well-groomed condition.

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