Deaver Calls Allegations ‘Impertinent’

Former White House aide Michael K. Deaver, saying he “never traded on my relationship” with President Reagan, told a closed House hearing today that his activities as a private lobbyist had not violated conflict-of-interest laws.

Deaver told the panel that such allegations were “both groundless and impertinent” and “obviously politically motivated and calculated to damage me and my former colleagues and friends still in government service.”

Deaver said the suggestion that he would use his 20-year relationship with Reagan “for personal gain is not only mean-spirited, but is also an implicit attack on the integrity of the President.”

‘Never Have, Never Will’

“I have never traded on my relationship with the President for any client--and I never will,” Deaver said in a statement handed out to reporters as he was delivering it in the closed hearing.

“I have absolutely never taken advantage of that personal relationship--nor have I ever been accused of such until recently.”

Deaver in his statement defended his personal relationship with Reagan and his wife, Nancy.

“I do not believe that my friendship with them is either a commodity to be exploited by me, or a legitimate basis for my being hounded in the press or anywhere else,” he said.

Speaking to reporters as he entered the hearing room, Deaver said, “After five months of innuendoes and leaks, it’s my turn today.”

Canadian Activities

The Energy and Commerce oversight and investigations subcommittee questioned Deaver about his lobbying activities for Canada and other countries, as well as his representation of domestic companies, according to panel counsel Michael F. Barrett Jr.

Deaver already has been investigated by the General Accounting Office, Congress’ investigative arm, which concluded he may have violated conflict-of-interest laws. The Justice Department is conducting an inquiry to determine whether an independent counsel should be requested to conduct a further investigation.

In his statement, Deaver also defended his representation of foreign governments and corporations despite what he said were suggestions from critics that “it is improper for any former presidential adviser ever to represent a foreign government in its dealings with our government.”

Foreign Agents Act

Deaver said despite many amendments added by Congress in the 60-year history of the Foreign Agents Registration Act, “Congress never has even suggested the impropriety of, much less prohibited by legislation, what these critics now assert.”

“If there is a dispute over what the nation’s policy . . . should be, then such criticism should be directed to Congress, not to individual citizens,” he said.

Rep. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), a member of the subcommittee, said he is not only concerned with possible violations of the law, but with appearances of former top officials returning to lobby the government.