Conservatives Won’t Seek North Pardon

A group of conservative members of Congress, caught off guard by the leniency of Oliver L. North’s sentence, today decided against sending a letter to President Bush seeking a pardon for the retired Marine lieutenant colonel.

Generally, conservatives were happy with the three-year suspended sentence, which was accompanied by 1,200 hours of community service, a $150,000 fine and a prohibition from holding public office. North had faced a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $750,000 fine.

Lawrence E. Walsh, the independent special prosecutor whose office was in charge of the prosecution, had sought prison time for North. He released a terse two-line comment, saying sentencing was a matter for the judge.

“We had a full opportunity to present our views,” he said. “We have no further comment.”

President Bush had no comment on the sentence, and the White House said he did not plan to make one.

Juror’s View

The foreman of the jury that convicted North on May 4, Denise Anderson, said in an interview on CBS-TV that she had been praying for a suspended sentence and that it was fair.

Rep. Robert K. Dornan (R-Garden Grove), who with several other conservative members of Congress had gone to the courthouse to await the verdict, acknowledged that the sentence was “on the low side of what we had expected.”

Dornan said he would for the time being withhold a letter to Bush, signed by 56 Republican and two Democratic members of Congress, seeking a pardon for North.

Rep. Don Edwards (D-San Jose), a liberal, said that the decision was fair but that North had gotten off “relatively easy.” He said no one wanted “the additional chaos of having Oliver North trundled off to jail waving the American flag.”

Lee H. Hamilton (D-Ind.), chairman of the House Iran-Contra Committee, said the decision was good and wise and did not amount to a slap on the wrist.

White House spokesman Marlin Fitzwater said Bush “didn’t comment throughout the trial and we don’t think it is appropriate to comment now.”

Fitzwater said there had been no discussion of a presidential pardon for North.

Carlos Perez, a Republican candidate for the House who was endorsed by North last week, said he planned to raise $150,000 in Miami to pay North’s fine.

“I won’t rest until he is totally vindicated. He is my personal friend,” Perez said.