European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 18, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday March 18,1989 the stars and stripes Page Wright supporters seek Legal donations Washington a House speaker Jim Wright a Texas is setting up a fund to Pav $500.000 in Legal Bills in his Battle to Clear himself of charges of ethics violations supporters said tuesday. Wright also has begun asking Texas lobbyists for donations they said. Four Texas democrats held the first organi cd fund raising event in Austin on monday to take Wright s Case to top business labor and political activists and to ask for Money. All the big ones were there said rep. Charles Wilson a Texas Democrat and one of the organizers who said More than 100 people attended the event. The other sponsors were reps. Martin Frost Jack Brooks and . Pickle All Texas democrats. We can raise whatever it takes Wilson said. We re not going to lose this Case because we can t afford the  Wright has been paying his lawyers out of his Campaign fund. But last week he expanded his Legal Tea to eight lawyers including Houston trial lawyer Ste phen p. Susman and Bills arc mounting rapidly. Wright spokesman Mark Johnson said the special fund would enable Wright to receive larger donations and raise Money More quickly. The Legal defense fund can accept unlimited contributions while a Campaign is limited to accepting $2,000 for each two year election Cycle from individuals and si0,000 from political action committees. Individuals and corporations with a direct interest in legislation would be barred from donating under House rules. The amount and source of each contribution would be reported a year from now when Wright makes his required financial disclosure from 1989, although the gifts might be disclosed earlier he said. We have the Best Case on the  said Wilson. Politically we re weak. From the daily pounding we re having. Wright i should act Lite a Texas Jackrabbit in a hailstorm and Hunker Down and i take  Susman told reporters i he would seek a rapid hearing on the 69 ethics charges against the Texas Democrat to Cut Short an i almost daily barrage of i negative publicity. It s in the Best interests of my client to get this thing done he said. Wright the charges include allegations that Wright Circum vented speaking fee limits through bulk sales of a Book he wrote and that he accepted improper gifts from George Mallick. His former fort Worth business part Ner. Susman said last week that he would probably take 30 Days to prepare for Wright s disciplinary hearing a trial like procedure in which the ethics committee determines whether the charges have been proven. I would prefer a longer period of time to get through the 7,000 pages of transcripts Susman said. But he added. If every Day we arc met with something else in the news Media that s obviously not going to  rep. John t. Myers of Indiana the senior Republican on the ethics panel said it still appears the hearing can not Lake place before Early june and noted that Wright s lawyers had contributed to the delay wit Legal motions they have filed. Wright meanwhile is seeking to keep the emphasis on House business and said his Legal Battles have distracted him from his duties. I believe the Congress itself has been quite considerably less distracted than some in the Media Wrights id. Asked about Anonymous suggestions from numerous House democrats in newspaper stories that he should step Down Wright said my colleagues have not said anything of that kind to me the ethics committee on tuesday spent three hours behind closed doors interviewing Henry Simon Mai lick s lawyer. Other depositions were to be taken this week including that of Tom Law a fort Worth lawyer who administers Wright s Blind Trust and Michael Mallick the son of Wright s partner. Emerging from the committee room Simon said he had been asked primarily about his work to set up the Mal Lightc investment corporation for Mallick and Wright and about efforts to redevelop fort Worth s historic stockyards District. The latter matter appeared to be related to the Issue of whether Mallick had a direct interest in legislation before Congress. Mallick sought to help obtain financing for the redevelopment venture and Wright helped obtain a Federal Grant to Benefit the stockyards area. Condition bombing cuts pan am Revenue of Marcos now critical Honolulu