Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan • Page 3

2J droit tBB Saturday, March 16, 1996 Page 3A HUGH iming of Mafia sweep raises questions MCDIARMID Politics Buchanan Brigade sets off shockwave entire criminal enterprise, he said. "That's the reason it may have taken more time," said Corbett. "You have to gather the right kinds of information, the kinds of evidence, to be in a position where you can give a jury material." Corbett said the age of those indicted is no issue, since the government believes they are still running the local Mafia. "There's no reason to believe that because someone is in his 60s or 70s that they are incapable of doing things or should be sent to a rest home," Corbett said. who represented several of the 17 people arraigned Thursday.

"They maintained they had unfinished business, which cuhninated in this indictment. "When they lose this indictment ft they have lost other indictments I hope they pack up their tents and leave." Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith Corbett said Friday that the indictments represent a different tack for the Justice Department, which in Detroit typically zeroes in on a few suspects for a specific crime. This time, the goal is to destroy an The government also appears to be acting on some information that's been around for years. One of the potential prosecution witnesses has spent 20 years in a federal protection program and another is a 75-year-old man in prison for drug running.

I Robert Moskal, a former attorney in Bridgeport who is named as an unindicted coconspirator, disappeared around 1980 after he provided federal agents with information during an investigation into organized crime ac- Please see INDICTED, Page 8A by Jeff Taylor, David migoya and Dan Shine Free Press Staff Writers Federal agents have had Jack Tocco in their sights for years, but never tried to hit him with anything. The only charge he ever faced was attending a cockfight, which cost him a $25 fine. But suddenly, the federal government seems to be firing everything it has at the reputed boss of organized crime in Detroit, including criminal allegations that go back 30 years. Federal officials, both former and present, say it took so long because the 69-year-old Tocco is savvy and guarded about his business. They say he also is surrounded by an insular group of men who kept a low profile and avoided the turf wars that have bloodied and split mob families in other U.S.

cities. But defense lawyers and others question whether the indictments announced Thursday are merely a last effort to bring down Tocco and other reputed mobsters, some in their 60s and 70s, while they are still alive. "The Justice Department is attempting to justify its existence," said William Bufalino, a defense lawyer ETTa hat was one strange Republican crowd that went bonkers for Pat Buchanan in Macomb County the other night variously ONE SWEET VOLUNTEER Hudson wearing shirts, jackets and ball caps boasting of "Michigan Militia," "NRA" and assorted union locals, hoisting "down with New World Order" signs, waving outsized Bibles for the TV cameras, booing Rush Limbaugh as too moderate, hissing and snarling at each of six (count 'em, six) mentions of the United Nations, jeering and laughing at Pat's line about how "Earth Day is the day all the liberals worship dirt" and cheering his disparaging mentions of both Bill Clinton and Bob Dole. Of course, the crowd was also warmly applauding his straight-line bait V- is 4 wrr- w. 1 "mm v.

Mjimumi mi ii in, not 0F opposition to NAFTA and GATT trade pacts and his laments about job losses due to corporate downsizing and overseas investment, declining real wages for the middle class 1 Pat Buchanan Timing, taxes are factors BY DAVID MIGOYA Free Press Staff Writer The City of Detroit could have become the undisputed owner of the historic J.L. Hudson's building had it waited just 16 more days for the state to seize the building for unpaid property taxes. 1 It still may have a good deal. But Mayor Dennis Archer's triumphant announcement Monday of a partnership to buy blighted property starting with the Hudson's building for an undisclosed amount alerted a Detroit pastor that he was being cut out of the deal. Rather than go away, he's fighting back.

"I was pretty resolved that we would lose the building," the Rev. Garnell McAfee said this week. "But now, with the city playing footsie, I'll get the money and beat the city to the taxman." Now, the. Greater Downtown Partnership, which bought out the interests of other investors last week, is racing to pay delinquent tax bills. So is McAfee, one that plunks down $102,000 in overdue state and county taxes by next Friday and has a registered deed to prove ownership will wind up with the prize.

"If they can show me a deed, I can accept the money," Wayne County Treasurer Raymond Wojtowicz said Friday. "Then the property is theirs." In 1993, the state foreclosed on the building because of unpaid taxes and gave owners three years to pay up, state officials said. The owners have until Friday. Owners also must pay $120,000 in delinquent city property taxes by April 26 or the city will forclose. McAfee said he became determined to pay the back taxes after learning the partnership had ignored his interest.

He's mortgaging a 28-acre St. Clair County retreat owned by his church, Unity Community, to pay the taxes. The 300-member church is in the 18500 block of James Couzens. McAfee said he would have been out of the picture had Archer waited until next Friday to announce his plans. The state would have seized the parcel and given it to the city.

City officials proceeded because they feared someone would pay the back taxes. Waiting wasn't a gamble worth taking, said partnership president Lawrence Marantette. "We felt the best direction was to take control of our destiny as best as we could," he said. He declined to say whether the partnership would pony up the taxes. PAULINE LUBENSAetroit Free Press Above: Detroit Medical Center Senior Vice President Mark Eustis, left, and Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer celebrate Grace Hospital volunteer Verne Burbridge's birthday at a party Friday.

Left: Burbridge, a 27-year hospital volunteer who turns 100 today, pushes her candy and newspaper cart down hospital halls. She brings the gift shop goodies to patients' rooms three times a week, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., but her day begins at 6 a.m. when friends bring her to the hospital. In addition, Burbridge volunteers at a senior citizens home two days a week.

-i (.., W. Hi. 1 i I tin 1fmm 1 1 I A i 'I i i .........1 JlAa RICHARD LEEDetrolt Free Press and, of assaults on what he labels the "the innocent unborn." 1 How big and how GOPish is this self-described Buchanan Brigade? Well, we should know Tuesday, t- The latest polls, of course, suggest that it is neither as large or supportive as it was four years ago when Buchanan won 25 percent of Michigan's GOP presidential primary vote (to George Bush's 47 percent). Polls also suggest that at least some of his 1992 voters, increasingly concerned about Buchanan-style rhetorical excess, may jump ship this time and succumb to what Buchanan on WWJ-AM radio Friday morning referred to as the GOP establishment's "arranged marriage" to Bob Dole. If the polls are correct, Michigan, where Buchanan is heavily invested this week (far more so than in Ohio, Illinois or Wisconsin, whose primaries are also on Tuesday), may turn out to be a disappointing last hurrah in short, a loud, colorful "pffft." But if they're wrong well, hey, Michigan's "go, Pat, go" crowd could easily end up with the largest Buchanan delegation at the GOP convention in San Diego in August.

If so, Buchanan, because Michigan gave him a much-needed, eleventh-hour boost, could, indeed, land another prime time speaking slot at the convention (one he openly covets and which, likely, would be a repeat of his controversial "cultural war" remarks in 1992) and emerge as the one, true Lion King of a proud, populist and growing movement made up of well, whatever's the opposite of what he scornfully refers to as "elite of the Republican Party." So, what exactly tsthat movement? I dunno for sure. But those of us who were in Warren on Thursday night sure will know it when we see it again. Footnotes Democrats 7m Note: Here was Buchanan's take on Dole as aired live on WWJ-AM shortly before 9 a.m. Friday: "He's a Republican establishment candidate who, I believe, is clueless about the concerns of middle America." REPVSUCABS TAKE NOTE: Buchanan labeled Clinton "shameless," and such a panderer that he would "show up at the NRA, scoop one of those AK47s and say, 'Don't take my firearms away from me, CKStSTUUI NEUTRALITY: Christian Coalition leaders insist their organization is nonpartisan, notwithstanding the unqualified pronouncement on stage at Thursday's Buchanan rally by Nancy Cherry, chairwoman of the Michigan, Christian Coalition, that she's endorsing Buchanan. COD AJ9 COIiKTRY: The speaking order for today's Michigan Christian Coalition-sponsored "God and Country '96" rally (9:30 a.m.

at Clawson's Zion Evangelistic Temple) is as follows: Ralph Reed national executive director of the coalition, Buchanan, U.S. Senate candidate Ronna Romney and Oakland County Prosec'rfor Dick Thompson. Player's puff leaves team hopes in a haze by Joan Richardson Free Press Education Writer One 3V4-inch cigarette has unexpectedly become the biggest player on a mid-Michigan team vying for the state Class high school basketball title. ThP ritra- PAULINE LUBENSDetroit Free Press "We're engaging in a 100-percent, full court press to stop Buchanan," said Chris Dietz of the Log Cabin Club of Southeast Michigan. rette was smoked by Aaron Tobias, a 6-foot-8 star center for Maple Valley High School in Ver-montville, southwest of Lansing.

After Coach Jerry Reese spotted Gay vote turns to Clinton Buchanan message stirs political action BY JENNIFER JUAREZ ROBLES Free Press Staff Writer Pat Buchanan's thunder is rippling beyond his "America First" rallies to awaken politically dormant gay and lesbian voters for the ultimate benefit of President Bill Clin-jO, ton. WP3 Thanks Is (A largely to Bu-tmWM cnanan hack-, fLf Xjf lash, gays and lesbians who were active in Clinton's 1992 victory, then sat out the battle of 1994 as conservative Republicans swept con-' trol of Congress are gearing up to be heard again in 1996. "Pat Buchanan is a walking, living, breathing hate crime waiting to happen" said Jeff Montgomery, president of the Triangle Foundation, a Detroit-based gay and lesbian civil rights group. talk Friday. But the controversy has set other tongues wagging.

The give-and-take centered around whether rules should be rules for everyone or whether star athletes deserve special treatment. Local sentiment favored following the rules. "Aaron did the crime so he's got to do the time," said Andy Adams, 14, a freshman wrestler at Maple Valley High. Nancy Byrd, who works with Tobias at the Good Time Pizza in nearby Nashville, said most residents support the coach and school, even though it might keep the team out of the finals. "He was caught and he should serve the punishment.

That's what rules are all about," Byrd said. Tobias, who has never been suspended or disciplined during four years at Maple Valley, plays football, basketball and track. He has a 3.8 grade point average, is president of the National Honor Society and works 13 hours a week at the pizza store. He has been offered academic scholarships at Hope and Albion colleges and is being courted by the University of Chicago as much for his academic promise as his athletic prowess. "Aaron has made a marvelous reputation for himself.

But he's just like Please see CIGARETTE, Page 11A Auion Tobias "What scares us about this guy is the reluctance of many officeholders or seekers to repudiate him." Montgomery's group has joined a coalition of metro Detroit gay and lesbian organizations mobilizing for this year's elections. The coalition plans a summer voter registration drive and a get-out-the-vote campaign this fall. Buchanan, who will campaign today in Michigan for Tuesday's state GOP primary, has lit a fire among gays and lesbians by: Describing AIDS as God's punishment of gays. Commenting Feb. 11 on NBC's "Meet the Press" that if he's elected he won't hire anyone who's openly gay.

"I do not believe this is a valid, legitimate, moral lifestyle, period, paragraph." Describing, at a Feb. 23 rally in Yuma, last summer's international women's conference in Beijing as a "crazy, dingbat conference" mostly attended by homosexual and bisexual women. "It was a horrible thing, dreadful. It looked like the bar scene in 'Star Writing in a campaign letter: "Liberals in our party are already demanding the addition of a homosexual rights plank in the next Republican platform." Buchanan's rhetoric has been a wake-up call to gays and lesbians, who criticized Clinton after he wound up with a "don't ask, don't tell" policy for gays in the military, said Elizabeth Please Bee GAY, Page 7A Tobias puffing away two weeks ago, the Lions' tournament chances began to look a little hazy. For lighting up, Tobias was suspended for four games.

Then Reese refused to coach after a judge reinstated Tobias for Thursday's game. By Friday, Tobias was sidelined again and the coach was back. "Nobody wins in this situation. But we're hoping Aaron gets to play again," Maple Valley Superintendent Alan McLean said Friday. "There's not a fan in the Valley that wouldn't love to see him on the floor." Neither Tobias nor Reese would.