The Nation - News from March 2, 1989

House Speaker Jim Wright (D-Tex.) angrily denied a report that he once threatened to expose a federal bank regulator as a homosexual in order to promote the interests of Texas savings and loan officials. “The story . . . is preposterous,” Wright told reporters, referring to an article in the Washington Times that said such an allegation was being reviewed by the House Ethics Committee as it concludes its investigation of Wright. Wright is charged with bringing extraordinary pressure on the Federal Home Loan Bank Board to be more lenient with financially troubled Texas thrifts and allow them to plead their cases directly to top officials in Washington. The Washington Times said the allegation accused him of threatening federal officials in Washington with “blowing the whistle” on a Texas regulator’s homosexuality unless the S&L; executives were allowed to circumvent that level with their pleas.