European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 29, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday August 29, 1991 the stars and stripes c Page 5noriega prosecution lands key witness Miami apr Manuel Noriega a prosecutors landed what May be their biggest catch so far when a former ambassador pleaded guilty wednesday and agreed to testify about drug shipments and payoffs to the deposed panamanian Leader. Ricardo Bilonick 44, could have faced up to 50 years in prison but prosecutors recommended he serve Only a maximum of 10 under the plea bargain. Bilonick was a ambassador at Large in Washington under Noriega a predecessor Omar Torrijos and also had an interest in several panamanian airlines. More importantly assistant . Attorney Myles Malman told the court Bilonick was the representative in Panama of colombians Medellin cocaine Cartel. A this is a substantial witness in this Case a said Mal Man. Noriega goes on trial next wednesday. Jury selection is expected to take several weeks. Prosecutors said Bilonick passed $10 million in bribes from the Cartel to Noriega in Exchange for protecting 19 flights carrying 15 to 20 tons of cocaine from 1982 to 1984. Bilonick also laundered the cartels Money in panamanian Banks according to Malman. He first became involved with Noriega when Cartel Leader Jorge Ochoa a sister was kidnapped by colombians m-19 guerrilla group in 1981, said Malman. Noriega agreed to mediate Between the Cartel and the guerrillas and Bilonick was Ochoa a representative at the negotiations. The Cartel eventually paid $1.2 million to get the woman Back and Noriega received $125,000, Valmah told the  who appeared almost Jovial at times during wednesdays proceedings admitted the crimes recounted by Malman. A what else do you do if you re guilty a he told . District judge William Hoeveler. Under the agreement he pleaded guilty to one racketeering conspiracy courtt7ahd the government will drop two other drug trafficking charges in the february 1988 indictment. Bilonick surrendered to . Authorities in Panama earlier this month and was immediately flown to Miami. Bilonick becomes the seventh of Noriega a co defendants to agree to testify against  candidates testing Waters for 92 by the Baltimore Sun Washington a As summer comes to an end some More democratic prospects Are sticking their toes into the presidential Pool. This week sen. Bob Kerrey of Nebraska became the latest to admit he might take the plunge in 1992. Kerrey a new generation Democrat perhaps Best known for his Romance with actress Debra Winger expects to decide within the next week to 10 Days whether hell run a spokesman said tuesday. The 48-year-old decorated Vietnam War Veteran is reviewing his plans in the Wake of recent decisions by Sens. Albert Gore or. And John d. Rockefeller in and rep. Richard a. Gephardt not to enter the race said Steve Jarding the senators press Secretary. The gaping Hole created by the apparent unwillingness of More prominent democrats to take on a popular president could draw other unlikely starters As Well including former gov. Edmund g. A a Jerry Brown of California. The Rev. Jesse l. Jackson has said that he will decide later this fall whether to stage a third presidential Campaign. At least three other democrats none of them Well known outside their Home states Are also nearing decisions on whether to become candidates. The Only announced democratic candidate is former Massachusetts sen. Paul Tsongas who has attracted Little support despite months of campaigning. Republican politicians and Many democrats contend that none of the Likely democratic candidates has the stature to Challenge president Bush. This a stature Gap has led to continuing speculation that a democratic heavyweight such As new York gov. Mario m. Cuomo might decide to run. For most democratic contenders the effective deadline for getting in the race is next month in order to begin organizing for the primaries that begin in february. There were reports that Virginia gov. L. Douglas Wilder who is testing his Appeal this week in new Hampshire the first primary state May wait until the end of september before announcing his plans. He had said earlier that he would signal his intentions by this weekend. Arkansas gov. Bill Clinton recently said he had not yet decided to run and several Clinton advisers confirmed that he was not yet 100 percent committed to a �?T92 race. But Clinton who bypassed the 1988 presidential race because he did no to want to spend time away from his family said. Monday that his wife and daughter have Given him the go ahead for a possible bid. Gov. L. Douglas Wilder d-va., meets prospective voters in Nashua n.h., tuesday. In the stars and stripes10 years ago aug. 29,1981 a John w. Hinckley or. Pleaded innocent to charges of shooting president Reagan and three others. Hinckley May change his plea to not guilty by reason of insanity after psychiatric tests.20 years ago aug. 29,1971 a swimmer Mark Spitz broke the world record in the menus 200-meter Butterfly for the second time during the National Amateur athletic Union swimming championships.30 years ago aug. 29,1961 a a 13-year-old Caldwell Idaho boy incensed at having to irrigate his family a farm went on a shooting spree in which the police chief and a Deputy sheriff were critically wounded. 40years ago aug. 29,1951 a the United nations accused the communists of a perpetrating a deliberate fraud by using one of their planes to stage the Kaeson bombing for which they blamed the United nations. Alabama gov. Hunt under probe Montgomery Ala. A the Alabama ethics commission on tuesday began an investigation to determine whether gov. Guy Hunt broke the Law by taking state aircraft to out of state preaching stops where he accepted Cash offerings. The probe started at the request of a North Alabama Coal Miner who gave the commission a petition bearing 500 signatures. A int a taxpayer and i just done to like the Way the governor has been spending taxpayers Money a said Charlie Tipton of Bibb county. Flight logs and Church members have confirmed eight trips Hunt made on state aircraft this year to religious functions including a funeral and a wedding. In four cases Church members said Hunt received Cash offerings after preaching. Hunt a primitive Baptist minister said from now on he will use taxpayer funded planes to go to Church appearances Only in a a critical cases. He said the department of Public safety in charge of Hunts Security will receive Advance approval from the ethics commission for such trips. The Republican governor said his trips were a completely  ethics commission executive director Melvin Cooper and chief investigator How Ard Mckenzie declined comment on the complaint. Both cited a court ruling that bars the Agency from discussing pending cases. Alabama a ethics Law prohibits officials from using their Public jobs for private financial Gam. The state Law empowers the ethics commission to decide whether there has been a violation that should be sent to the state prosecutor. Action could come As soon As sept. 20, the commissions next meeting. The governor Friday gave the state a Check for $1,750, which aides said represented Money Hunt received after preaching in Virginia and Georgia. Ferraro reports payment for 85 to and Washington a Geraldine Ferraro says she san author lecturer by profession but she got a fat Check last year from a 1985 Pepsi cola commercial. Ferraro the 1984 democratic vice presidential nominee received almost $370,000 in deferred payment from the 30-second television and according to her personal financial disclosure form. Ferraro who is seeking the democratic nomination to Challenge sen. Alfonse do Amato r-n.y., has never revealed exactly what she earned for the commercial. The and was made several months after her unsuccessful run with presidential nominee Walter Mondale. A it was paid out Over a period of time a Ferraro said tuesday. A under an agreement we never disclosed the  Ferraro said she received a final payment of $200,000 last year and interest of almost $170,000. If she were to release her income tax returns Ferraro said the total payment would become Public. But she said she wont do that unless her competitors do the same. Ferraro earned roughly Between $563,000 and�?$650,000 during the 17 months leading up to her candidacy according to the form which lists income and assets in Broad ranges. Of that nearly $119,000 consisted of lecture fees. A that is what 1 did for a living a Ferraro said in an interview. A from 1984 to 1990, if you look at anything we sent out my title was author lecturer. I had my own Little cottage  Ferraro said she went Over the disclosure form several times with lawyers and accountants to make sure there were no oversights