Bates Seeks Answers From Top Navy Brass on Admiral’s Attack

Rep. Jim Bates (D-San Diego) has asked the chief of naval operations in Washington to explain recent comments by a top admiral in San Diego criticizing the congressman’s efforts to investigate charges of waste, fraud and abuse aboard the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk.

During a change-of-command ceremony on the ship Friday, Vice Adm. James E. Service, commander of the Navy’s Pacific Fleet air forces, called Bates “an ill-advised public servant” and described his allegations as a “bum rap.”

In a letter to Adm. James D. Watkins, Bates wrote: “Since it is my understanding that major policy statements by U.S. Navy officers are cleared beforehand, then there is considerable confusion over where these comments originate. Is this a Navy statement? Is it merely the statement of a disgruntled officer?”

Bates said Tuesday that Service’s statements raise disturbing questions about the credibility of a recent Navy investigation that found “critical deficiencies” in Navy supply operations.

“If the Navy has now changed their position, then we need to know about it,” said Bates, whose charges of improper supply purchases and accounting procedures aboard the Kitty Hawk led to the Navy probe.

Service said he called Bates over the weekend and told him that his statements were misquoted in a San Diego Union article. The Union reported in its Saturday editions that Service called Bates “a pornographer of doom and gloom.” Service said he was referring to the news media, not Bates.

But on Tuesday, Service stood behind his statement describing Bates as an ill-advised public servant.

“I think ill-advised was a good choice of words because I think (Bates) was ill-advised by what we know now was a very self-centered . . . a malcontent petty officer,” Service said.

Service added that he considers the negative publicity stemming from the charges launched by 2nd Class Petty Officer Robert Jackson and Bates a bum rap because a Navy investigation showed that seven of the 11 charges were unfounded.

Meanwhile, Capt. Phillip R. Wood, the former commanding officer of the Kitty Hawk, told The Times Tuesday that he has decided not to run against Bates in the 44th Congressional District race.

Wood, who has been feuding with Bates ever since he raised allegations of wrongdoing by Kitty Hawk supply officers in July, said he is not cut out to be a politician.

“When the dust settled, I woke up to reality,” said Wood, who would have had to forfeit his $40,000-a-year Navy pension if elected to Congress. “I don’t want to do that. I’ve got others things to do.”

Bates said he was disappointed with Wood’s decision.

“We would have had a chance . . . to debate these issues (of Navy supply irregularities),” Bates said. “I think . . . San Diego has to face whether we are going to be pro-Navy and allow for general debate and criticism of activities in the area, or take the stance that any criticism means you are against the Navy and therefore stifle improvements that need to be made to make us truly strong.”

Former San Diego City Councilman Bill Mitchell said he is “98% sure” he will run against Bates. Mitchell said he was so angered by Bates’ recent comments urging the exploration of legalizing narcotics that he decided to return to politics.

“I’m mad enough to run right now,” Mitchell said. “We can’t have people in our federal government who would encourage things like that. Before you know it, government would have a stamp of approval on drugs and say it’s OK for children to take them. I won’t stand for that.”

Mitchell said he has set up a meeting with his steering committee later this week and is considering moving back to the 44th District (National City-Chula Vista area), where he was born. Mitchell now lives in Rancho Bernardo.