Reagan urged to fire aides

Press, 13 December 1986, Page 12

Reagan urged to fire aides

NZPA-Reuter Washington

Congressional pressure yesterday appeared unrelenting on President Ronald Reagan to fire some key advisers who are pleading ignorance that funds from United States arms sales to Iran were diverted to finance Nicaragua rebels.

As two weeks of investigations by three Congressional committees were winding down for the Christmas break, key Congressmen maintained calls for Mr Reagan to clean house and start the new year afresh. New inquiries into the scandal that has rocked the Reagan presidency are due to start after Congress convenes on January 6. Mr Reagan last night seemed untroubled at the prospect of a bleak Christmas at the White

After ceremonially lighting the national Christmas Tree in a capital lashed by rain and chill winds, Mr Reagan shrugged off reporters’ shouted questions on the Iran scandal — the biggest crisis of his six years in office.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman, Richard Lugar, an Indiana Republican, said yesterday he wants the C.I.A. director, William Casey, ousted, as well as the White House Chief-of-Staff, Donald Regan.

“There needs to be a separation. We need to separate those who will be involved in the investigation from those who need to run the country — they can’t do both,” Mr Lugar said. William Broomfield, a Republican of Michigan, said: “I think we need a

fresh start.”

He said Mr Reagan, whose credibility has been shaken by the scandal, should review the futures of his foreign policy advisers, including those in the Central Intelligence Agency, Pentagon and State Department.

"The house cleaning ... I think it has to come,” he said, without recommending any names. The Secretary of State, George Shultz, and Mr Casey say they have been kept in the dark about the extent of the secret White House plan to renew relations with Iran, arid the channelling of arms sales profits to contra rebels in Nicaragua. Many critics say they should have known or found out.

Fresh press reports have surfaced that close friends of Mr Reagan, supported by his wife.

Nancy, want the President to fire Mr Regan, who was Treasury Secretary before switching jobs with James Baker in January, 1985.

Mr Regan is responsible for the White House staff, including National Security experts involved in the Iran dealings. The scheme has proved deeply unpopular among Americans who still remember the agonising 444 days of 1979-81 when 52 Americans were held hostage by Iranian revolutionaries.

The National Security Adviser, Admiral John Poindexter, resigned and his aide, LieutenantColonel Oliver North, was fired two weeks ago over suggestions of impropriety in the diversion of funds to the contras at a time when United States military support was illegal.

The “New York Times” reported yesterday that White House aides were looking for outside help from former White House officials to solve the President’s crisis, indicating that staff feel the problem is growing. Mr Donald Regan had approved the approach, the newspaper said, citing sources who said the plan may be an attempt by him to quell demands that he resign. “Things have ground to a halt,” said a Republican political adviser with ties to the White House. “Donald Regan is totally distracted and it appears to be every man for himself.”

The newspaper cited White House officials who said that Nancy Reagan had told friends she expected Messrs Regan and Casey to be out by early January.