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Fred Thompson v. Bruce Babbitt:

Smoke Signals in Wisconsin

Bruce Babbitt - feeling the heat

Friday, October 31st 1997: It seemed like Halloween came a day early yesterday as Fred Thompson began a serious third degree on Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt who denied he talked about political contributions when Paul Eckstein, a lobbyist, came to pressure him on an Indian casino permit application. Thompson wasn't wearing a headdress or carrying a tomahawk, but he might as well have been. Babbitt told Thompson and the campaign finance "coven-cops" that he didn't remember any conversation along those lines.

Eckstein represented three Wisconsin tribes of Chippewa Indians who were seeking Interior Department approval to add a casino to a struggling dog racing track in Hudson, Wisconsin. But the area was covered with other casinos already, and Interior declined.

Earlier in the day, Eckstein quoted Babbitt as saying. "At some point, the secretary asked me, 'Do you have any idea how much these Indians with gaming contracts have given to Democrats?....Half a million dollars'"

Eckstein said, "The conversation ended pretty shortly after that."

Babbitt, ironically a long-time friend of Eckstein disputed this account of their July, 1995 meeting. Babbitt said, "I have no recollection of any conversation to that effect."

Paul Eckstein - ex friend

Thompson's quest? To hang Babbitt for allegedly denying a gaming license to a competing tribe which favored Republicans in exchange for nearly $300 thousand in campaign contributions from other tribes already in the gaming business.

Thompson and his "investigators" think Babbitt is lying and that former White House staffer Harold Ickes "ordered" Babbitt to squash the new gaming license request because the DNC got $268,000 in political donations from Indian tribes opposing the casino.

Babbitt said he had no contact with Ickes on the issue, but told that story to Eckstein just to get him off his back.

Babbitt said it was "just an awkward effort to terminate an uncomfortable meeting on a personally sympathetic note."

Thompson, twisting the point as usual, asked Babbitt, "So you misled him?" Babbitt said no, and compared it saying "I have to go, I have another call coming through."Thompson, trying to give the impression he had something on Babbitt said, "I think you're getting in awfully deep water here, but that's up to you."

But Babbitt is in trouble. This is only the second time during these hearing when two respected men categorically dismiss each other's recollections and Babbitt has other problems.In his opening statement, Babbitt admitted he had "muddied the waters" with a previous, and conflicting account of his meeting with Eckstein. He first said he had had contact with Ickes on the matter, but later said he did invoke Ickes' name because Eckstein was persistent and Babbitt simply wanted to end the discussions. But internal documents show that the White House contacted the Interior Department three times while the decision was pending and in an October letter to the Senate committee, Babbitt also admitted telling a lawyer for the Chippewa that Ickes had pressured to make a decision in this case.

The plot thickens.

Thompson tipped his hand long ago, when, in his appearance before the committee earlier this month, Ickes was forced to deny Republican's innuendos that he was putting the screws to Babbitt, saying, "Nobody ever tells Bruce Babbitt what to do."

Janet Reno

However, Attorney General Janet Reno told reporters that she has opened an initial "inquiry" on Babbitt under the Independent Counsel law and Thompson is capitalizing on that. Reno said the 30-day review is regarding Babbitt's actions in the casino permit matter, and that it began more than two weeks ago on Oct. 14.

"The first issue is, is there specific and credible evidence?" Reno told reporters.

Whether Thompson's own inquiry will lead to a dismissal of the investigation or a verdict against Babbitt if the matter ever comes to trial is a serious consideration. It is widely known that Reno and her Justice Department colleagues are angry over Thompson's interference with their ongoing investigations because he poisons the witness pool.

At legal issue in the case is whether Babbitt's decision to deny three Indian tribes' casino application was influenced by political contributions, and whether he was truthful when he denied having conversations with political operatives on the issue.

Babbitt also made the mistake of writing a letter to Senator John McCain which may contradict his current recollections. The Justice Department's Civil Division is also defending the Babbitt's Interior Department against a lawsuit brought by the three Indian tribes who did not get the casino, claiming political interference in the decision. At the same time the Criminal Division is attempting to determine whether there may have been such influence in the decision.

Babbitt is covered under the independent counsel law because he is a cabinet secretary.

Babbitt rejected the project in July 1995, even though the regional office of the Bureau of Indian Affairs recommended approval.

Thompson may know more than he's saying, and sources inside Babbitt's inner circle confirm that Babbitt is frustrated and has considered resigning from his cabinet position. If Thompson or Reno prove a direct link between Ickes and Babbitt, both could be indicted along with a gaggle of other overzealous DNC staff who may have participated in the gaming license affair.

Yet today no proof is available, and aside from Babbitt's own conflicting statements, the case remains Eckstein's word against Babbitt's and Icke's.

Thompson scored some points yesterday, but unfortunately for him the issue is complex and reporters were scarce in the hearing room yesterday. I listened to the full testimony and was so confused I had to read fifty pages of reports on the meeting to separate fact from fiction.

THE DAILY COMMENT

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From an Introduction to JK's, "Washington - The New American Babylon"