Dole, Haig Texas Petitions Probed
FBI agents took the filing petitions of presidential candidates Bob Dole and Alexander M. Haig Jr. from Republican Party headquarters Friday after reports that some signatures may have been forged.
George Strake, Texas GOP chairman, asked U.S. Atty. Helen Eversberg and the FBI to investigate after reports that petitions with questionable signatures were filed to place the two men’s names on the March 8 primary ballot.
Strake said the investigation was needed “because the Republican Party of Texas is absolutely committed to maintaining the integrity of our election process.”
The questionable signatures could endanger the places of Dole and Haig on the ballot, Strake said.
When questioned at a suburban Des Moines campaign stop, Dole said he knew nothing of the allegations of forged signatures.
“I don’t run the campaign,” he said. “Bill does.”
William E. Brock III, Dole’s campaign manager and former labor secretary, said Friday that he accepts responsibility for the accuracy of the Texas petition signatures. But he sought to distance Dole from the incident, saying the campaign asked outsiders to help compile the petitions.
Haig spokeswoman Leslie Milsten said from Houston that his campaign favored a full investigation.
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