European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 19, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday october 19, 1990 the stars and stripes a a a Page 7 documents say 3 senators aided Keating Washington not three . Senators made More extraordinary efforts to help Charles h. Keatingjr. Protect his failing savings and loan institution than had been thought subpoenaed documents being examined by the Senate ethics committee show. The three senators Are democrats Donald w. Riegle or. Of Michigan Alan Cranston of California and Dennis de Concini of Arizona. Cranston is the party whip and Riegle is chairman of the banking committee. Keating has been in a los Angeles jail since his indictment last month on charges of misleading investors about the Security of High yield High risk junk Bonds sold at Lincoln savings and loan association of Irvine Calif. The documents show that the most aggressive efforts to assist Keating were made by Cranston and Deconcini who used their positions to perform such favors for Keating As making Early morning and late night Riegle Cranston Telephone Calls to Federal regulators on his behalf. The senators urged the White House to name an associate of Keating to a Federal banking Agency. In a Handwritten memo to his two senior aides in june 1989, Deconcini outlined a plan to counter the negative publicity Over the Keating affair. A i think sometimes the Best defense is an aggressive offence a he wrote. A this is not going to go away so we need to. Be  his first suggestion was to a discredit Gray a referring to his chief accuser Edwin j. Gray then chairman of the Federal Home loan Bank Board. The efforts continued after he became the subject of Federal enforcement actions. Riegle was portrayed in the documents As the chief Arranger of the meetings Between the senators and Keating. The three Are among five senators who have been under investigation in connection with Keating. The others Are John Glenn of Ohio a Deconcini Democrat and John Mccain of Arizona a Republican. The ethics committees special counsel Robert s. Bennett has recommended dropping the investigation of Glenn and Mccain. All five senators have consistently denied any wrongdoing. Aides to some of the senators under scrutiny said it was unfair to draw conclusions based on documents which they contended were leaked to discredit their Bosses for political reasons. The Case has been difficult for the panel because the rules Are murky in guiding what is proper behaviour for senators working on behalf of constituents. No single document or event has thus far stood out As a a smoking gun a according to people familiar with the investigation. But congressional officials said that the committee was examining the Broad pattern of what the senators did for Keating who donated More than $1 million to their campaigns or their causes. Tragic mix up blamed in prosecutor s suicide san Francisco apr some say prosecutor Collier Vale blamed himself for the slaying of a police informant in a tragic mix up and believed his career was Over at age 39. But no one thought he would kill himself. Perhaps not even Vale thought that a until the last moment. A it appears to have been a spontaneous event a Monterey county a chief Deputy Coroner Glen Brown said of the self inflicted gunshot. Authorities Are still investigating Vales apparent suicide oct. 5 at his apartment. He did no to leave a note. And although colleagues say he seemed to linger with goodbyes the Day before he died he did no to appear suicidal. A i done to know Why this happened a said Vales Boss District attorney Mike Bartram. Friends say Vale Felt guilty when an informant was killed aug. 8,1989, after information got out that she helped police investigate a double killing in Seaside 115 Miles South of san Francisco. Through a mix up of similar Telephone numbers Vale called Songia Petite Johnson 20, instead of Sonjii Yvette Johnson 23, who was a witness in the july 16 double killing. Both women lived in the same High crime neighbourhood and both their names were pronounced  while trying to interview the wrong woman Vale said enough for her to figure out that the other woman was an informant. Authorities speculate that largely to protect herself from drug dealers Songia Petite Johnson spread the word that the other woman was the  three weeks later Sonjii Yvette Johnson was shot to death. Authorities would not say where Songia Petite Johnson could be located for comment. After the mix up was discovered the Johnson slaying was assigned to the state attorney general a office. Vale was widely blamed in press reports for the Young woman a death. Vale claimed he was Given false information and authorities say a police officer May have confused a Collier Vale discusses tragic mix up at news conference in Monterey Calif., in August 1989. The numbers. Vales defenders also note that he offered the informant police Protection three times. Still Vales guilt feelings persisted. A when you re a prosecutor or a police officer you re supposed to be hard hearted and not let things get to you a said sheriff Bud Cook. A i think he Felt maybe he did something wrong and it finally got to  Man leaves jail goes on 3-Day run Yakima Wash. A a Man serving a Home detention sentence persuaded authorities to set him tree temporarily so he could run in a non existent Antidrug Marathon. Then he ran and ran and ran. A the just used it As a scam to Boogie a said Yakima county sheriff Doug Blair. But Hector Mendoza returned and surrendered three Days later. Mendoza 22, told jail officials he was an organizer of a drug abuse resistance education run from Yakima a to Sunnyside on saturday. County dare officer Deputy Jeff Gillespie said Mendoza had contacted him suggesting such a fund Raisig run several weeks ago but had never followed up Gillespie said the program which teaches school children about drugs carefully screens All fund raisers to make sure they Are legitimate. Saturday was the second to last Day of Mendoza a three month Home detention sentence but he was to begin a separate 30-Day jail term immediately afterwards. Mendoza turned himself in at the jail tuesday night after considering his options said jail sgt. Bill Sturm. A the Way he talked he was ready to leave the state. Then i guess he changed his mind a Sturm said. A a we re not sure what we re going to do with him yet a Sturm said. Mendoza was serving the detention sentence for driving with a suspended License. The 30-Day sentence was for unpaid traffic  Leader son convicted of bribery window Rock Ariz. Apr suspended Navajo chairman Peter Macdonald was convicted wednesday of 41 counts of bribery and other crimes for taking Money and favors from business people operating on the reservation. The same six member tribal District court jury convicted Peter a a Rocky Macdonald jr., Macdonald a son and co defendant of 23 similar counts. The prosecution contended Macdonald illegally asked for and accepted Cash payments Loans air plane rides and use of an automobile from businessmen seeking to Curry favor. The defense argued during closing arguments oct. 12 that Macdonald got the gifts through Friendship. The elder Macdonald was convicted of 41 of 42 counts of bribery conspiracy and ethics violations. Three counts against the 61-Ycar-old former aerospace Engineer were dismissed Friday. The younger Macdonald an unemployed lawyer who lives in san Jose Calif., was convicted of 23 counts of bribery theft by extortion ethics violation and conspiracy. Judge Robert Yazzie has said he would consolidate the counts. If he docs Macdonald would face a maximum of 10 years in prison. The elder Macdonald faces a maximum sentence of 21,/2 years in prison and a $21,500 Fine. The conviction bars Nim from holding tribal office for four years. He is on the nov. 6 ballot for tribal president a Post that replaced the chairmanship. Sentencing were set for monday. Macdonald a attorney said his client would Appeal. Rocky Macdonald a lawyer said he probably would As Well. And As he left the courtroom Peter Macdonald said a i am the chairman of the Navajo  about 180,000 navajos live on the 21,100-Square-mile reservation which covers parts of Arizona Utah and new Mexico. The trial is the first of three scheduled for the elder Macdonald in tribal court. The father and songs second trial is scheduled to begin oct. 23. It is on conspiracy charges stemming from the tribes Purchase of a ranch for $33.4 million from a company which paid $26.2 million for the property Only five minutes earlier. A mormon president released Salt Lake City apr mormon Church president Ezra Taft Benson was discharged from the Hospital wednesday nearly a month after he was admitted for treatment of blood clots on the brain a Church spokesman said. Benson 91, underwent two operations at lds Hospital for the blood clots and later was treated for unrelated gastrointestinal bleeding. Benson was hospitalized sept. 18 after complaining of severe headaches and difficulty swallowing. He has been president of the 7.5 million member Church of Jesus Christ of latter Day saints since 1985