Daily News from New York, New York • 3

6 'iiiiiiiilililiiuiiIiiiuiiiTiluWm IMIinillffllllilUilllllNlllllllli lilllliiiiiiiaiiiiiii nmmmMm By SAM ROBERTS Chief Political Correspondent Behind Gov. Carey's decision to dump State Special Prosecutor Maurice Nadjari is another explanation revealed only in private. It is politics pure and simple, rough and raw, crude Republican vs. Democratic politics. In his official statements, Carey repeatedly has Insisted that the public had lost confidence in the fiery anticorruption prosecutor and that he should be replaced by respected Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau.

But in addition to that declaration, there is an underlying and previously undisclosed case political pragmatism. Carey has said privately that ha believes the special prosecutor is part of a Republican plot to embarrass top Democrats with "phony indictments" on the eve of their national convention here in July. And that claim, he has said, was supported by Attorney General Louis Lefkowitz' decision to grant Nadjari a six-month reprieve which expires two weeks before next July's Democratic National Convention. Carey has insisted that he believes that Republican leaders were trying to set him up, and that he was capable of spotting such a trap. He indicated that the GOP, through Lefkowitz and Nadjari, was seeking to promote a series of groundless charges against unnamed Democrats, timed so as to give them little time to refute the allegations before the convention.

It would not, of course, be the first time that Nadjari has been accused of scheduling- Indictments for maximum political impact. Agent3 of the special prosecutor arrested former City Tax Commission President Norman Levy in an allegied parking ticket-fixing scheme. The arrest was made early on the same March 1973 morning that John Lindsay was to announce whether he would seek a third term as mayor. Lindsay decided not to seek reelection, however. Levy's conviction was reversed earlier this year.

Carey also has hinted It was because of his same suspicions of the Republicans that he did not inform Lefkowitz of his plan to replace Nadjari until the last minute. For a combination of reasons, both, public and (Continued on page 47, col. I) iKinwinniimiiiiiiM HJiMiiinuiHiniiiiwiiMiw Congressvamen Back From China Tour ft 5, Liifii' Scop Radian Ffio flu 5VJT I if J. By TH03IAS POSTER Determined to curb State Special Prosecutor Maurice Nadjarrs expanded authority to probe Democratic State Chairman Patrick Cunningham and Bronx politics, Bronx District Attorney Mario Merola is urging Gov. Carey to limit the scope of the probe to "the sale of judicial office and public positions," it was learned yesterday.

Nadjari had asked Gov. Carey to expand his investigative authority almost without limits in the Bronx back to 1972. But, at Merola's insistence. Nadjari has agreed to go back only as far as Jan. 1, 1974.

-i rt. BHayyjSfc A Associated Press Wirephoto Rep. Margaret Heckle (R-Mass.) speaks to reporters at Andrews Air Force Base, yesterday after she and 10 other congresswomen returned from a two-week fact-finding tour of China. From left are: Reps. Elizabeth Holtzman Cardiss Collins Heckler and Bella Abzng They said the death of Premier Chou En-lai probably will not affect the growing friend- ship between China and the United States.

By STEWART AIN and FRANK LOMBARDI City officials are dangling tax breaks and leasing incentives before a wide array of hotel and commercial developers in the hope of touching off a renaissance in jobs n-wnti-Sfi-. iJ The staffs of Merola and JNaa-jari worked over the weekend on the language of an amendment to the gubernatorial executive' order that now limits Nadjari's authority to corruption in the criminal justice system in New York City. Nadjari's efforts to probe the role of politicians, and Cunningham's own efforts, in the selection of judges have been challenged by Cunningham. Supreme Court Justice John Murtegh, who has been at odds with Nadjari, expects to issue a ruling tomorrow on that challenge. Limits Sought The ruling will be without significance, however, because Carey has agreed to expand Nadjari's investigative powers to dig into Cunningham's political influence in picking and influencing judges.

Carey and Merola want to limit Nadjari's authority to what the prosecutor has already presented to a grand jury, their aides said yesterday. Nadjari's original request, put to Carey's counsel, Judah Gribetz, asked for a superseding executive order "to manage and prosecute all corrupt acts and omissions committed by public and political officeholders in the Bronx from 1972 to 1976." Nadjari has backed away from the 1972 date and is weighing the additional limits sought by Merola. Merola and Nadjari plan to meet privately tomorrow or Tuesday to begin discussions on the language of the superseding order. Merola, it was learned, toid Gribetz that he wants Nadjari to investigate any corruption in the Bronx on any level in the criminal justice system, including any influence-peddling or ''selling" of judgeships by Cunningham. Merola, a product of the Bronx political organization himself, would feel uncomfortable prob- MANHATTAN QUfclNb and building.

Informed sources said yesterday that Mayor Beanie's new incentive program, which he disclosed Friday, is being considered for such diverse projects as a new hotel to replace the Commodore at 42d St. and Lexington the large industrial park proposed for the South Bronx by Italian developer Renzo Zingone, and redevelopment projects in Jamaica, Flushing and the Fulton Street area of downtown Brooklyn. Informed sources also revealed yesterday that discussions have been reopened with an based developer who had posed a $180 million luxury hotel for the Times Square area. The developer, John Portman, had dropped the plans for the hotel In December because of what he called a lack of "investor interest In New York City." Eligible for Tax Breaks "We have new cards now, one city official said in detailing the incentive plan drafted for Beame. Under the city's existing powers and with the adoption of 'additional enabling legislation in Albany, investors such as Port-man would be eligible for either Continued on page 47, col.

1) Of BROOKLYN Mario Merola Would set time limit ing his own friends even though Carey's aides said that they regard Merola as "Mr. Clean." Cunningham, meanwhile, got some surprise legal help yesterday from Edward Bennett Williams, the highly respected lawyer who also is president of the Washington Redskins. Williams called Cunningham on Friday night, met with him yesterday and offered to help in his legal bout with Nadjari. A long-time friend and Democratic pal of Cunningham, Williams will work with Cunningham's lawyer, Gregory Perrin, in whatever expanded investigation of Bronx politics Nadjari may undertake. An aide to Carey said that the governor would sign the new order, extending Nadjari's authority, whenever Merola and Nadjari agree on its language and limits.

Projects include (I) Hotel Commodore (2) a Broadway hotel (3) Harlem River railroad yards (4) Jamaica shopping area (5) Flushing shopping area and (6) portion of Fulton St..