Vote Stalls on Lucas’ Civil Rights Post : Alabama Senator Gets Delay to Check Unspecified Charges

The Senate Judiciary Committee put the brakes on consideration of William Lucas as the nation’s chief civil rights enforcer today after an Alabama senator asked for time to check unspecified last-minute allegations.

“I don’t want to injure anybody--the allegations are not substantiated,” Sen. Howell Heflin (D-Ala.) said after the panel put off a vote until Tuesday. He said he had spoken with President Bush about the nomination hours earlier.

Heflin, believed to be the pivotal vote in the committee on the Lucas nomination, refused to disclose the nature of the new information or identify the source, but he called it “just something that ought to be explored.”

Seeking Confirmation

Lucas, 61, is seeking Senate confirmation as assistant attorney general for civil rights. The former Wayne County, Mich., official has come under fire from some civil rights leaders as unqualified and the issue has ballooned into a full-scale political fight with the Bush Administration.

The full Senate is likely to settle the matter regardless of what happens in committee. But the Administration wants a favorable recommendation from the panel and the intensity of the campaign has put the spotlight on the issue.

Eight votes are needed for a favorable recommendation. Vote counters on both sides say Lucas can probably rely on seven with Heflin a question mark.

At the Judiciary Committee meeting, Republican senators pushed for an immediate vote with Sen. Alan K. Simpson (R-Wyo.), complaining that delay would “give these extraordinary groups time to just go out and keep ginning it up” and “find out what he did when he was 16.”

‘Balance’ Needed

“We need to bring balance to these things as we diddle around with people and leave them hanging,” Simpson said.

Heflin warned Republicans, however, that if there were immediate action, “I’m prepared to vote but I may not vote the way you want me to vote.”

“I wouldn’t want to push him,” said Sen. Strom Thurmond (R-S.C.), the ranking Republican on the committee.

Reacting to the panel’s action, David Runkel, spokesman for Atty. Gen. Dick Thornburgh, said the Justice Department remains confident that Lucas will be confirmed.

Meanwhile, some Democratic senators who had been expected to oppose Lucas confirmed that they would have done so if the vote had taken place.

“In the position of assistant attorney general for civil rights I want someone who is going to be a strong advocate for civil rights, and I just don’t see that coming from Bill Lucas,” said Sen. Paul Simon (D-Ill.).

“Quite frankly, Mr. Lucas just doesn’t have the legal experience, doesn’t have the personal experience,” said Sen. Howard M. Metzenbaum (D-Ohio).