Senator Sought to ‘Bring Heat’ on Keating Foe

Arizona Sen. Dennis DeConcini wrote an aide in 1986 asking what “we can do to bring heat” on a federal banking regulator who was opposed by savings and loan owner Charles H. Keating Jr., the Senate Ethics Committee was told today.

The senator’s memo to his staff aide, Laurie A. Sedlmayr, was written in December, 1986, after Keating had made clear his opposition to top bank regulator Edwin Gray, who wanted Keating’s thrift to adhere to investment limits.

Sedlmayr said she was aware Keating wanted Gray out of office. DeConcini wrote her a memo on Dec. 11, 1986, citing press accounts of potential financial and ethical problems facing Gray and asking, “Anything we can do to bring heat?”

She said she responded five days later, saying it was “probably unnecessary” for him to take action and suggesting that the senator “stay out of this.”