Lyn Nofziger Indicted on 6 Ethics Counts : Former Reagan Aide Accused of Lobbying for Wedtech, Others

Former White House political director Lyn Nofziger was indicted on six counts of violating federal ethics laws in connection with his lobbying for Wedtech Corp. and two other clients, a special prosecutor announced today.

According to the indictment, Nofziger and his lobbying partner, Mark Bragg, who also was indicted, illegally lobbied the White House in 1982 in an ultimately successful effort to get a $32-million no-bid Pentagon contract for Wedtech, a New York defense contractor.

Nofziger, in a statement issued by his attorneys, said he is innocent “of any deliberate violation of the law” and added:

“If the independent counsel wants my scalp, he will have to get it the old-fashioned way.”

The indictment maintains that Nofziger violated conflict-of-interest provisions that prohibit high government officials from lobbying their former office for one year after leaving the public payroll.

Left White House in 1982

Bragg is charged in the indictment with aiding and abetting Nofziger in his efforts to assist Wedtech.

Nofziger left the White House in January, 1982, to open a Washington lobbying firm with Bragg.

The indictment was obtained by special prosecutor James McKay, who also is investigating Atty. Gen. Edwin Meese III’s assistance to Wedtech in 1982 when Meese was White House counselor.

Meese has acknowledged interceding in 1982 on behalf of Wedtech, four of whose top business executives have pleaded guilty to bribing public officials in exchange for help in winning no-bid Pentagon contracts and other favors.

Law enforcement officials have said they expect additional indictments in New York of as many as 10 other government officials for allegedly taking payoffs from Wedtech.

Indictment Allegations

The indictment announced today alleges:

--That Nofziger illegally contacted Army Secretary John O. Marsh Jr. on March 29, 1982, two months after Nofziger left the government, on behalf of Wedtech in the company’s efforts to win the $32-million contract to build small gasoline engines for the Army.

--That Nofziger illegally contacted Small Business Administration chief James C. Sanders on May 3, 1982, on behalf of Wedtech. Nofziger also broke the law, according to the indictment, when he wrote a letter to Meese’s deputy, James Jenkins, on May 28, 1982, seeking White House help in obtaining the engine contract.

--That Nofziger lobbied illegally on behalf of the National Marine Engineers Beneficial Assn., a Washington-based labor union representing licensed maritime officers, and violated the law when he lobbied on behalf of Fairchild Republic Corp., a Virginia-based defense contractor.

The indictment says Nofziger illegally lobbied the White House on behalf of the marine engineers union in 1982, writing a letter to Jenkins. Nofziger was seeking to expand the use of civilian crews aboard U.S. government ships, an initiative endorsed by President Reagan.

Nofziger, the indictment alleges, violated federal conflict-of-interest laws when he lobbied the government on behalf of Fairchild, which was seeking to continue production of the A-10 military aircraft.