New Flap Erupts Over Prosecutor in Deaver Case

The prosecutor in Michael K. Deaver’s perjury trial sparked another diplomatic flap with Canada on Tuesday by threatening to highlight the former presidential aide’s “unlawful acts” as a Canadian lobbyist unless Ottawa lets its ambassador here testify in the case.

The Canadian Embassy released a copy of a diplomatic protest it filed Friday with the State Department. It accused independent counsel Whitney North Seymour Jr. of “attempted intimidation of the government of a sovereign state exercising its sovereign rights.”

The embassy charged in its diplomatic note to the State Department that Seymour tried “to bring improper pressure to bear” on Canada by threatening to highlight Deaver’s lobbying activities on behalf of Canada when the former presidential aide goes to trial next week on perjury charges.

In an Oct. 2 letter, Seymour said Canada’s refusal to allow Ambassador Allan Gotlieb to testify about a Jan. 5, 1985, lunch he had with Deaver “has forced us to place much greater emphasis at trial on the unlawful acts engaged in by Deaver when he was working for the Canadian government.”

Deaver, former deputy White House chief of staff, is scheduled to go to trial Monday on charges that he lied to a grand jury and a House subcommittee that investigated his lobbying business for alleged ethics law violations.

Among other things, Deaver is charged with lying when he said he could not recall discussing the appointment of Drew Lewis as U.S. envoy to Canada on the acid rain issue while he was still at the White House. Deaver said he could not recall the luncheon meeting he had with Gotlieb before Lewis’ appointment.

Deaver left the White House staff in May, 1985, and soon signed a $100,000 contract to represent Canada on several issues, including acid rain.