Wilson Steps Back on View of Poindexter, North Pardons

U.S. Sen. Pete Wilson on Thursday took a step back from his view, stated last July, that Lt. Col. Oliver L. North and Rear Adm. John M. Poindexter should be pardoned if they were charged with crimes in connection with the Iran-Contra scandal.

North and Poindexter were indicted Wednesday on charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States by illegally supplying the Nicaraguan rebels with profits from the sale of American weapons to Iran.

Eight months ago, Wilson told reporters that North and Poindexter were “two men inspired by obvious and genuine patriotic conviction” and deserved to be pardoned if they were charged with criminal wrongdoing.

May Be More to Case

Now, however, Wilson is saying that there may be more to the case against North and Poindexter than was known last July.

“Special prosecutor (Lawrence E.) Walsh may have uncovered additional facts not revealed in the White House report or in hearings in Congress,” said Wilson in a statement read by his press secretary, Bill Livingston.

The statement triggered a sarcastic response from Lt. Gov. Leo T. McCarthy, Wilson’s Democratic opponent in the 1988 Senate race. McCarthy accused Wilson of being a fair weather friend to North and Poindexter and of changing his mind about the two now that they are less popular.

“Nine months ago, Pete Wilson read Ollie North’s popularity ratings and called for a presidential pardon should North be indicted for violations of federal law,” McCarthy said. “Now, that Ollie North’s ratings are down, Pete Wilson wants to cancel the show. Wilson’s basic instinct seems to be to do what is popular, not what is right.”

The remark echoes a recurring theme of McCarthy’s campaign against Wilson, that the senator makes up his mind on issues based on which way the political winds are blowing.

McCarthy, a liberal, and Wilson, a conservative on defense matters, differ sharply over United States policy in Nicaragua.

Wilson’s press secretary insisted that Wilson did not change his position on North and Poindexter.

Sees No Violation

Livingston said that Wilson’s call for a pardon was based on his belief that the two men had not violated the Boland Amendment, the congressional prohibition against providing aid to the Contras.

“He hasn’t changed his earlier views concerning the Boland Amendment,” Livingston said.

Wilson is reacting, instead, to the possibility that North and Poindexter may have committed other crimes, such as “stealing government assets,” Livingston said.

Livingston did not elaborate, but he may have been referring to language in the indictment that accuses North and Poindexter of stealing government funds and diverting a portion of the money to the Contras.

According to Livingston, Wilson said it would be inappropriate to comment further about the matter now that it is before the courts.

But Wilson did have more to say about the crisis along the Nicaragua-Honduras border, stating his support for President Reagan’s decision to send American troops to Honduras. Wilson also recommended that Reagan request emergency aid for the Contras.

Wilson, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, emerged from a briefing with State Department officials Thursday to say he was convinced that Nicaraguan troops had invaded Honduran territory, “not in a hot-pursuit action” but as part of a “premeditated strike against the Contras” that had been planned for weeks.

McCarthy said he will wait for an explanation of the situation by Reagan before passing judgment on the President’s decision to dispatch U.S. troops.

“If the President is going to commit troops to a combat zone, I hope he is prepared to give very persuasive reasons to the American people,” McCarthy said.