Five Wright Witnesses May Face Contempt Charges

The House Ethics Committee may vote contempt charges against five balking witnesses in its investigation of Speaker Jim Wright (D-Tex.), the top-ranking Republican member of the panel said Wednesday.

“That’s one option,” Rep. John T. Myers (R-Ind.) told reporters after the subpoenaed witnesses failed to show up for questioning Tuesday in San Antonio. The committee will meet today to consider further action.

The challenge to the committee’s authority will delay a hearing for Wright that the Speaker requested immediately, Myers said. He said he does not now expect the Speaker’s appearance until “sometime in May.”

Myers and committee Chairman Julian C. Dixon (D-Los Angeles) flew to San Antonio to take sworn testimony from Morris Jaffe, a Texas oilman, and his son, Douglas Jaffe, principals in a transaction that produced a quick profit of $340,000 for Mallightco, a firm half-owned by the Speaker and his wife.

Proceeds from the sale allowed Wright to receive an unexpectedly high price of $350,000 for shares held by him and his wife in the company, jointly owned with George A. Mallick Jr., a Ft. Worth developer, and Mallick’s wife.

The Jaffes and three others involved in the transaction refused to testify before the Ethics Committee.

Wright, who met with reporters before Wednesday’s House session, turned away questions on the issue, saying: “I’m not going to make any comment today on that ethics thing.”