European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 3, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saturday november 3, 1990 the stars and stripes a a a Page 7gop candidates fear poor voter turnout Washington apr republicans Are worried that a turned off electorate will stay Home tuesday and spell disaster for Many gop candidates. A a Low turnout does no to help us a said Edward j. Rollins co chairman of the National Republican Campaign committee. Rollins assessment was echoed by Norman Cummings political director of the Republican National committee who said a those marginal voters Are Republican leaning voters in Many key  Curtis Gans director of the committee for the study of the american electorate said the Outlook for voter turnout is a a More iffy situation this year than in most midterm elections. But he predicted that turnout on tuesday would be about the same As four years ago. In the 1986 midterm election 36.4 percent of eligible voters went to the polls the lowest turnout since 1942. Gans said there has been a slight increase in Republican voter registration but it might not translate into a larger Republican vote. A my own guess is that Overall because of. Taxes and an incipient recession there la be a decline of slight proportions despite the increase in registration in the Republican vote nationally a he said. A you could have a phenomenon in a number of places the sort of lower Middle class Urban ethnic who a been sort of a swing vote in recent elections coming Back to the democratic party a Gans said. A a that a what happened in the recession of 1982 it might happen with the fear of a recession plus the fairness Issue this  a consistent theme in democratic campaigns around the country has been to portray their candidates As advocates of economic fairness for All americans and republicans As protectors of the Rich. Rollins noted that younger voters Are the most ant tax group in the population and that a majority of re publicans today Are under 40, while a majority of democrats Are Over 40. Those demographics bring together two factors that could give an Edge to democrats on election Day. The anti tax voters were the ones turned off when president Bush abandoned his hard line opposition to any tax increases. Older americans have the highest percentage of voter turnout. Republicans Hope that in the final Days before the election Bush will succeed in firing up Republican voters and inspiring them to go to the polls on tuesday. Bush plans to Campaign non Stop before winding up tuesday in Houston where he maintains his voting residence. In a report on voter registration Gans said that National registration should total about 122.6 million an increase of nearly 3 million Over 1986, but one that did not keep Pace with the population growth. Demos threaten to sue gop Washington apr democrats Are threatening to take republicans to court Over schemes they say Are meant to intimidate minority voters in North Carolina Texas and possibly elsewhere. But the Republican National committee countered that the threat is a scheme to drum up minority turnout on election Day. A this unsupportable scare tactic by the democrats is nothing More than part of their annual get out the vote plan a said inc spokeswoman Leslie Goodman. The North Carolina Senate and Texas governor contests Are so tight that democrats Are counting on minority turnout to put them Over the top. Democratic party strategists said thursday they were trying to publicize the gop mailings in order to counter the fear they May induce among voters. They acknowledged it was possible that a backlash could drive up minority turnout. The democratic officials requested an immediate Justice department investigation into gop a ballot Security programs and said they were contacting the court that issued a 1982 consent decree Banning such tactics. A we will move quickly on this. We re not about to abide it a said Paul Tully political director of the democratic National committee. A we keep fighting this same stupid Battle. Its enough  he and others said local and state Republican organizations were sending postcards with misleading or false information to heavily Black sections of North Carolina and East Texas. Party chairman Ron Brown said the gop has used similar tactics through the past decade despite agreeing in 1982 and 1986 not to do so. He told attorney general Dick Thornburgh in a hand delivered letter that activity in North Carolina and Texas a May be just the tip of the iceberg and asked for a Quick examination of possible civil rights violations. Brown also reminded All 50 state Republican chairmen in a letter that the 1982 consent decree bars a ballot intimidation and ballot Security  he noted that the Orange county Calif Republican party last year paid a $400,000 settlement after being sued for intimidating hispanic voters in 1988. Goodman said the inc a has nothing to do with the ballot Security program in North Carolina Texas or anywhere  Rick Shelby political director of the National Republican senatorial committee called the Flap a much ado about  he said ballot Security is a Standard operating procedure in Many campaigns and is just getting More publicity in North Carolina than elsewhere. A a it a merely an Effort to ensure that its a fair honest election a Shelby said. Ron brow bid to Circle Globe in floatplane ends in Aleutian islands Kiska Island Alaska up an american seeking to become the first person to Fly a floatplane around the world crashed late thursday into the Waters of the Aleutian Island Chain but was reported of. Tom Casey ditched his single engine floatplane near Kiska Island said Paul Wegrzyn spokesman for the Federal aviation administration in Anchorage. He said he did no to know Why Casey had to ditch the plane. Although the floatplane reportedly overturned on Impact it did not sink and Casey was reported in Good condition awaiting Rescue by a coast guard Cutter coast guard spokeswoman Pamela Foss said. Casey left Seattle May 20 for his around the world attempt and was scheduled to Complete his circumnavigation of the Globe on sunday in Seattle Foss said. Engine problems May have forced the plane Down Foss said. She said it was unclear whether the plane was salvageable. Casey had just completed the longest stretch a from Japan to Attu Island the westernmost Point in the Aleutian Chain a and was heading East to the Aleutian fishing port of dutch Harbor. He had flown some 145 Miles about one fourth of the Way from Attu to dutch Harbor when he went Down. Kiska is an uninhabited Island about 1,450 Miles West of Anchorage. As he went Down Casey switched on his emergency locator transmitter and Foss said the coast guard picked up the signal diverted a c-130 to the area and was Able to communicate with Casey by radio. Wegrzyn said Casey had a raft and survival gear and Foss said coast guard and air Force planes were keeping track of Casey until he could be picked  attorney general convicted fined $10,000 Little Rock Ark. Apr state attorney general Steven Clark was convicted thursday of abusing his expense privileges. He was fined $10,000 but Drew no prison time. A obviously in a very disappointed a Clark said after the verdict. Earlier in the Day a prosecutor compared the attorney general a ambitions to a runaway train fuelled by state Money. A the general was feeding that train. And As he was feeding that train to keep his gubernatorial Campaign alive head throw Coal in. That Coal was your Money a prosecutor Chris Piazza told jurors in closing arguments. Clark 43, was charged with theft by deception of More than $2,500 of state Money which carried a maximum prison sentence of 20 years and a $15,000 Fine. He was convicted of the lessor charge of theft by deception of Campaign contributions. Defense attorney Bill Bristow said Clark already had lost. A another jury has already issued a verdict to Steve Clark. That is the jury of Public opinion a Bristow said. A Steve Clark has been the subject of ridicule. A lets go to lunch is a statewide joke a Bristow said. A Steve Clarks political dream a the dream to be governor a is gone. A if Steve Clark ran for do Catcher right now head lose to a write in candidate a he said. Clark attorney general since 1979, has a salary of $26,500 a year plus a $15,000 supplement. Published reports of discrepancies in his expense reports prompted Clark to drop out of the democratic gubernatorial primary on feb. 7. Clark testified he never intended to deceive anyone with his expense filings. Under Cross examination wednesday Clark said Arkansas attorney general Steve Clark leaves the courthouse thursday night after his conviction. He was doing More than the Law required by keeping expense records. No other top state official does so he said. A if i wanted to deceive anyone i  have done anything and i certainly  have used the names of prominent people so people could come in and say Steve Clark says he ate with you is that right a a Clark said