Cisneros’ Team Seeks to Bar Tapes From Ex-Mistress

To Henry G. Cisneros’ lawyers, 88 tapes of telephone conversations secretly recorded by his ex-mistress are “unreliable, unauthenticated copies.” To prosecutors, they back up witnesses who say the former Housing secretary schemed to hide “hush money” to her.

A federal judge is to hear arguments today on whether Linda Jones’ tapes can be used at Cisneros’ trial, set for September, on 18 felony counts of conspiracy, obstructing justice and making false statements to the FBI.

Also, defense lawyers intend to raise questions about Jones’ motives when she taped the conversations, and her mental health.

Cisneros, a former San Antonio mayor, was secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development from 1993 to 1996. He was indicted in late 1997 on charges he conspired with Jones to conceal payments to her before and during his service in the Clinton administration.

Cisneros, who has pleaded not guilty, acknowledged financially supporting Jones.

But prosecutors have said Cisneros falsely told the FBI during his Cabinet background check he never paid Jones more than $2,500 at one time or more than $10,000 annually. The indictment alleges that from 1990 to 1993, he paid her an estimated $264,000 in installments of as high as $15,000.

Cisneros’ lawyers want Smith’s tapes barred because they are “unreliable, unauthenticated copies” and because they were made for “criminal or tortious purposes.”

The defense team also is pressing to have its psychiatric expert examine Jones, who has admitted that she has long suffered from depression, was addicted to antidepressants and once tried to kill herself.

Jones and Cisneros, 52, became romantically involved in 1987 while he was mayor; both were married at the time. The 2 1/2-year affair ended when Cisneros returned to his wife and three children.