Meese Quizzed by Grand Jurors About Wedtech

Atty. Gen. Edwin Meese III was whisked into an underground garage today at the U.S. Courthouse and ushered before a federal grand jury for what was expected to be several hours of questioning about his involvement with scandal-plagued Wedtech Corp.

The nation’s top law enforcement officer was accompanied by two private attorneys representing him in a criminal investigation of the attorney general that began May 11.

Meese was driven into the courthouse sub-basement through a side entrance, bypassing a clutch of photographers at the front door. He said hello to reporters before entering the grand jury room but otherwise made no comment.

Review Acknowledged

Meese has acknowledged that in 1982 he ordered a review that led to White House intercession on behalf of the South Bronx company that was seeking a non-bid, $32-million military contract and is now the subject of numerous criminal investigations.

It appears unlikely that Meese will be indicted in the investigation, according to Administration and federal law enforcement sources. Investigators for independent counsel James McKay have turned up no evidence that Meese benefited financially from his involvement with Wedtech, the sources said. (Story, Page 22.)

The independent counsel’s investigation has focused in part on whether Meese supplied his longtime friend, E. Robert Wallach, with sensitive law enforcement information about a criminal investigation of Wedtech, sources familiar with the investigation said.

Downstairs in the same court building, the perjury trial continued for former White House aide Michael K. Deaver, who is charged by an independent prosecutor with lying about his lobbying activities after leaving government.