Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, January 13, 1993 TAG: 9301130259
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: JOSEPH COSCO LANDMARK NEWS SERVICE
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium
INDICTMENT DETAILS ROBB ROLE IN LEAK
Sen. Charles Robb escaped a criminal indictment Tuesday, but an indictment against former friend Bruce Thompson names the senator as an active player in leaking an illegal tape of Douglas Wilder and then trying to cover it up.The indictment against Thompson says Robb saw a transcript of the tape but never actually listened to it so that he would have "plausible deniability" in case of an investigation.
According to the indictment, Robb also agreed that former aide David McCloud would take the "hit" if the tape were traced to Robb's office. Later, the indictment says, Robb directed aide Steve Johnson to issue a press statement falsely claiming that the Wilder tape was received anonymously by Robb's office.
The tape, made by a Virginia Beach restaurateur, was part of a cellular phone conversation of then-Lt. Gov. Wilder predicting the demise of Robb's political career because of unsavory reports over his social life at Virginia Beach.
Although Robb has publicly said he ordered aides not to leak the tape, the Thompson indictment indicates the grand jury thought Robb was actively involved in the political maneuvering surrounding the tape. But in refusing to indict Robb, the grand jurors apparently didn't feel Robb's actions were criminal.
The indictment says Robb knew about the Wilder tape as early as the fall of 1988.
The indictment alleges that the following scenario played out over the next few years:
October 1988: Thompson, a hotel owner, tells McCloud he has separate recordings of conversations of Wilder, Virginia Beach developer Edward S. Garcia and private investigator Billy Franklin, who was then dogging Robb.
February 1989: Robb and McCloud agree that McCloud would keep the tapes, but that Robb would not listen to them "so that Robb would have `plausible deniability.' " They also agree that McCloud "would take the `hit' should the existence of the tape recordings become public and be traced to Robb's office."
January 1991 until April 1991: Robb staffers prepare a series of memos for Robb outlining strategies to deflect attention from an upcoming NBC-TV show dealing with reports about Robb's alleged drug use and alleged affair with a former beauty queen. One strategy is leaking an edited version of the Wilder tape.
April 1991: Robb asks McCloud to prepare him a transcript of the Wilder tape. Robb and McCloud consider leaking the Wilder tape to the media while Robb is out of the country, traveling in the Middle East.
May 1991: Robb aide Steve Johnson leaks a transcript of the Wilder tape to the media.
June 1991: Fearful of possible criminal charges, McCloud destroys the tape and informs Robb of the act. Robb directs Johnson to issue a statement to the press falsely claiming that the Wilder tape was received anonymously by Robb's office.