Angry reaction to story on Carter aide

Press, 23 February 1978, Page 9

Angry reaction to story on Carter aide

NZPA Washington A White House spokesman has denied that a top Presidential aide, Hamilton Jordan, spat mouthfuls of a cocktail down the front of a woman’s dress in a Washington bar last month. A 33-page defence of Mr Jordan was issued on Monday by the White House press secretary (Mr Jody Powell). At a press conference, Mr Powell said that he did not consult President Jimmy Carter before issuing the statement.

Mr Powell also denied — in strong language — a rumour that the Federal Bureau of Investigation was investigating the incident. “That is not true, just, another example of sleazy crap,” he said. The “Washington Post” reported in its magazine on Sunday, “that Mr Jordan, President Carter’s top aide who recently separated from his wife, spat at a woman in Sarsfield’s bar on January 27 after she refused to talk with him.” The “Post” has said that it stands by its story despite the 33-page statement Mr Powell issued on Monday “to set the record straight.”

Mr Jordan said that there was an unpleasant incident at the bar but denied he spat, at the woman. Mr Powell told reporters he had not discussed the issue with the President or consulted him about the lengthy White House response, which many have viewed as an over-re-action.

The White House statement included a 24-page affidavit from a bartender and shorter statements from friends who were with Jordan at the bar. All backed up his version of what happened. The “Post” reporter who wrote the story, Rudy Maxa, said he had known the years and believed her. He woman • involved for six said he also had two witnesses who corroborated her version.

Mr Jordan also made news recently when he was reported to have looked down the bodice of the Egyptian Ambassador’s. wife at a dinner party and said he always had wanted to see the “pyramids”. He denied that incident, too.