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NATION AND WORLD
University Daily Kansan, March 20, 1985 Page 12
Burford may sue to recover costs
By United Press International
WASHINGTON — Anne Burford, former environmental protection agency chief, said yesterday that she was looking for a good lawyer to sue the Reagan administration because Attorney General Edwin Meese failed to keep a promise to pay $211,000 in legal costs for her.
Burford said that Meese, as a White House counselor two years ago, pledged that the administration would pay Burford's legal fees if she would agree to resign from her job. The costs came from Burford defending herself during federal investigations.
Burford resigned as EPA chief in 1983 amid allegations that she delayed a major toxic waste cleanup for political reasons and her aides made deals with corporate polluters.
"The agreement was oral and was paired with my resignation," Burford said.
"There were witnesses present," she said. "I don't think he misled me. I'm waiting for him to deliver."
Thomas DeCair, chief spokesman for the Department of Justice, said Meese had no comment.
WHITE HOUSE spokesman Larry Speakes said the office of Fred Fielding, White House counsel, had referred Burford's claim to lawyers with the EPA and the Justice Department.
"The president's feeling on that is that Mrs. Burford should be compensated if it is appropriate." Speakes said
Burford warned that if she was forced to sue, the lawsuit would begin a "bloodbath" for administration officials.
"These people will have to deal with some stuff that's never been brought to light," she said, referring to the 1983 controversy that drove her and 21 other political appointees out of the EPA.
FBI and congressional investigations of her official duties, Burford said any suit also would seek damages for mental pain and suffering, loss of earning capacity and loss of reputation.
Besides legal fees resulting from
THE EPA CONTROVERSY erupted after Burford, acting on the advice of Justice Department attorneys, refused to turn over agency files to a House subcommittee. Months after, the Supreme Court of Congress and many federal inquiries were under way, the administration released the files.
Burford said her husband, Robert Burford, signed a note agreeing to pay about $3,000 a month in interest on the bill to Bennett's former law firm.
When asked how soon she would sue, she said, "All I'm doing is shopping for a good lawyer. I'm not willingly going to sue them. For a lawyer, myself we have heard every way I know how to get this resolved amicably."
Savings and loans could reopen
By United Press International
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio House of Representatives last night unanimously passed a bill that would allow many of Ohio's 70 privately insured savings and loan associations to reopen, perhaps as early as today.
The latest bill, assembled by leaders of both parties in the House, would have the state superintendent of S&Ls reopen immediately those thrifts that are financially stable and that they qualify for federal insurance.
In Washington, the S&L industry's top federal regulator pledged "an unprecedented superhuman effort to help reopen most of the affected institutions, Gov. Richard F. Celeste said.
But Celeste would not estimate how much sooner they will reopen because of his afternoon visits with Federal Home Loan Bank Board
Chairman Edwin Gray and Federal Reserve Board Chairman Paul Volcker.
And in a development that could rapidly change the situation, a ruling was expected expected today in a lawsuit filed by one of the closed S&L's, Buckeye Savings & Loan Co. Action in action closing the institutions on Friday. A ruling in favor of Buckeye could reopen the institutions at once.
THE CLOSED S&LS are privately insured. Federally insured S&Ls remain open.
The House measure passed last night also contains provisions to attract support from majority Senate leaders in the day defended a similar plan.
It was believed Celeste would be agreeable to any settlement. His
It was not known whether the Senate would go along with the plan. If not, it was possible a conference committee would negotiate a settle-
executive order closing the S&Ls was to expire at midnight
The new provisions would:
- Safeguard smaller savings and loans that would not qualify for federal insurance by giving them four months to strengthen their financial situations.
- Set up a $10 million state fund backing up the Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corp. for some 30 small institutions that might not meet federal insurance guidelines.
- Forbid liquidation of the thrifts if they can show their customers' deposits would not be in jeopardy if the institutions were allowed to continue operating.
THE PLAN ALSO allows depositors to withdraw up to $750 a month from &Ls that remain closed.
The House plan was developed after the Senate yesterday afternoon sent over a bill allowing depositors access to at least some of their frozen funds.
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