European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 10, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 4 a the stars and stripes wednesday june 10, 1992 Gates blames Crummy politicians for Bluff los Angeles apr police chief Daryl f. Gates said monday that his threat to postpone his retirement was a Bluff intended to show that the department was being controlled by a Crummy  a i am anxious to be out of Here by the end of june a he said at police Headquarters. Gates statements did Little to Cool his critics who accused him of trying to hold the City hostage to stroke his ego in the final Days of his command of the 8,300-Mcmber department. A the bully backed Down this morning a said Ramona Ripston executive director of the Southern California american civil liberties Union. A visibly angry councilman Zev Yaroslavsky who took Gates remark about politicians to mean him in particular said he had Quot never dealt with a sicker mind and called Gates a  Quot he has left that police department in a total shambles. He has left this City in a lurch,1 Yaroslavsky said. Quot that a the thanks he gives to the people of this  Gates stirred City Hall last weekend by telling reporters he might stay beyond his announced retirement Date of the end of june to take a stand on behalf of captains up for promotion to commander. Los Angeles has been rocked since four White police officers were videotaped beating Rodkey g. King a Black Motorist on March 3, 1991. The april 29 acquittals of the current and former officers on most of the charges touched off the nations worst spate of rioting in decades. One officer faces retrial on an unresolved count of assault under color of authority. In mondays news conference in which Gates took aim at everything from the los Angeles times Quot miserable to police commissioner Stanley Sheinbaum a a confuse the chief said his threats were for a higher Good. He said he merely wanted the City to keep the captains on a 2-year-old civil service list that expired this month so that his successor Philadelphia police commissioner Willie l. Williams would have the Opportunity to make the promotions. By refusing to keep the list Active Gates said City officials were politicizing the department trying to tinker with management decisions Best left to a police chief. Quot the los Angeles police department is now in the hands of Crummy Little politicians a Gates said. Farmers ranchers won t bite Bullet on Texas train Austin Texas apr ranchers and Farmers once were blood enemies Here but they Are United these Days against a common foe a a proposed Bullet train that would whisk passengers across vast stretches of Rural Texas at 200 Mph. The rail system would link Houston Dallas fort Worth san Antonio and Austin fencing in 600 Miles of land to make Way for trains that would run Day and night. A a it a going to destroy Peoples whole lives a said Kenneth Johnson who raises ostriches on his Central Texas ranch. A Farmers have a Tough enough time As it is a complained Heather Morris a second generation Farmer from Dawson about 60 Miles South of Dallas. Johnson and Morris were among several opponents who spoke out against the proposal during a recent hearing in Corsicana. The hearing is one of 39 being held to help develop a report on the trains environmental Impact. A Century ago Johnson and Morris could have been on opposite sides. Ranchers once fought to keep the Range open for their grazing cattle while farm ers fenced in their land to protect struggling crops. These Days there is no such split. Many such As Gary Murphy consider themselves both Farmers Ana ranchers. The division is Between agricultural interests and the Railroad. A a in be got cattle and am concerned about How the noise is going to affect milk production a said Murphy who is from Dawson. Quot we feel the Market value of our land is affected. The proposals already hurting it and its certainly going to if it goes  Clint Miller an executive with the company running the hearings said Rural texans Are worried that the Bullet train could change their Way of life. Some of the meetings have drawn More than 300 people. Miller is a bit bemused by the reception he has received. A other than being threatened to be chased out of town with a stick things Are going very Well a he said. A group of american and French investors managed by Idaho based Morrison Knudsen corp., has been awarded the 50-Ycar franchise to build and oper ate the nearly $6 billion train system. The initial routes Are scheduled to be in operation by the end of the Century. But Many Rural residents Are concerned about losing or being blocked from their land. They also worry about How the noise of the train and its electric lines will affect their livestock. Bill Curtis a rancher from Cryer Creek said the train Quot will Only be benefiting people in metropolitan areas with destruction to prime  Bob Neely executive director of the Texas High Speed rail authority said the state is sensitive to the concerns. But Quot its like any other major Public works project a he said. A the most recent is comparing it to the interstate Highway system where there was tremendous  Neely said Bullet train opponents Are giving Farmers and ranchers false information such As saying the Power to condemn land Wilt be in the hands of private builders instead of governmental entities. The last hearings will be held in Waco and Georgetown on june 25, and written possible Bullet train routes a a Oklahoma Ark 200 pm Public comment will be accepted until july 13. It will take about two years to Complete the environmental assessment. The next major financial deadline for the train builders is dec. 31, when they have to prove to the Texas High Speed rail authority that they have raised $170 million $30 million of it in Cash. Cuomo putting his oar into Clinton Campaign by Kevin sacks the new York times Albany . A new York gov Mario m. Cuomo May have sworn off a presidential Campaign in december but he never promised to keep quiet. After focusing on state business for much of the Winter and Spring Cuomo in the last two weeks has started heaping advice on Arkansas gov. Bill Clinton the apparent democratic presidential nominee. Given the tumultuous history Between them Cuomo a decision to raise his profile has invited some suspicion in Little Rock ark., and some bemusement in Washington. Without prompting Cuomo told reporters last week whom he thinks Clinton should select As a running male a sen. Bill Bradley of new Jersey is his first Choice. Cuomo has used several recent appearances on National television to critique Clinton a Campaign strategy saying that Clinton is not offering enough detail on policy issues. And saturday evening in a bizarre twist Cuomo announced on a radio program in new York City after alerting reporters in Advance that Clinton had embraced a strategic initiative that Cuomo has been pushing since last year. Cuomo told an interviewer on wins am that Clinton planned to join with the democratic leaders in Congress to develop a legislative package that could be passed in the Early Days of a Clinton administration. Cuomo and aides to Clinton said monday that Cuomo made the announcement alter asking for and receiving permission from the Clinton Campaign. But the announcement nonetheless placed him in the unusual position of disclosing an important strategy shift that the Clinton Campaign had not yet acknowledged. At the very least Cuomo is an unconventional Choice for Campaign spokesman. It has Only been two months since he and Clinton seemed to Patch up a relationship that had been shredded by a natural rivalry for prominence in the party and by Clinton a remark that Cuomo a facts like a member of the mafia. As one of the few democrats with the Star Power to command instant Media Access Cuomo poses a constant threat to Clinton or any other presidential candidate. Some democratic strategists for instance Are disappointed that Cuomo has not used his forum to help undermine the credibility of Ross Perot. Last week he told an audience in new York City that he had a nothing negative to say about Perot whom Cuomo has spoken to occasionally on the Telephone. Cuomo said monday that he was acting with the most benevolent of intentions when announcing the legislative package and several Clinton strategists said they were not bothered by his disclosure. But some Clinton aides said they believed Cuomo wanted to receive credit for the idea. Asked by a reporter at a news conference in Little Rock on monday if he thought Cuomo was trying to steal his Quot Thunder a Clinton said a i done to mind. Its also an idea he has been pushing for some time. A and i think if the congressional leadership accepts the Challenge there could be a partnership. I think its time to Stop placing blame and Start taking responsibility. Its also a time to not care who a got a Good idea. Whoever a got a Good idea we ought not be worried about that. We ought to take the idea and go  Cuomo said he had discussed the idea publicly since last fall and had mentioned it regularly during the period when he was considering a presidential Campaign of his own. The idea of forging a highly Public Alliance with Congress has been a controversial suggestion within the Clinton Campaign because the Arkansas governor has tried to cast himself As an outsider and because the conventional Wisdom of 1992 Calls for candidates to distance themselves from a scandal plagued Congress. Vermont senator wants to drop Campaign ads by Maralee Schwartz the Washington Post democratic sen. Patrick j. Leahy a eking re election in Vermont wants to Lake a Deal Wilh his Republican oppo ent no television or print advertising. A if my Republican opponents agree to i the same 1 will not run one single revision or print add not one a Leahy lid in a five minute radio spot that ran Iio Ghoul the slate recently. A a it a the Only Way i know to break the stranglehold that the 30-second ads have on  Leahy saying he wants to put the campaigns emphasis on issues proposed that instead of advertising the two candidates agree to participate in six one hour televised debates and set a limit on Campaign spending. Vermont newspaper editorial writers have praised Leahy a proposal but so far republicans Are not so impressed. A a it a a breathtaking piece of self serving hypocrisy a said Vermont gop chairman Brian Cosgrove. A if if if if a he a not committing himself to anything. Its got More holes than a screen  Secretary of state James Douglas who is seeking the gop Senate nomination said it would be foolish for him to forgo advertising when Leahy has All the advantages of incumbency. Douglas a 12-year incumbent said Leahy so out of state Media advisers suggested this plan because the senator is better known than any of his potential opponents. But one Republican candidate said he is a a enthusiastic about Leahy a proposal. Businessman John Gropper who faces Douglas in the sept. 8 primary criticized Douglas response As a a knee Jerk re