Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, April 5, 1994 TAG: 9404050046
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
Warner has said North, who is seeking the GOP nomination for the Senate seat held by Democrat Charles Robb, is unfit for public office because of his felony convictions in the Iran-Contra scandal. The convictions were overturned on appeal.
Warner angered many Republicans by saying he would support an independent if North is the GOP nominee.
Since then, North said, "tens of thousands of people who probably wouldn't have given to my campaign or participated have done so."
North made the comments after appearing in Richmond with police officers backing his candidacy. About 100 people attended the event at a Fraternal Order of Police lodge.
North said that despite Warner's criticism, "I think I'm going to have the support of every good Republican come June 4," the date of the nominating convention.
Asked if he was saying Warner is not a "good Republican," North told reporters to interpret the remark any way they wished.
Warner's office did not return a call seeking comment.
A spokesman for Jim Miller, the former Reagan administration budget chief who also is seeking the GOP nomination, said North is trying to use the feud with Warner to his advantage.
"Mr. North would like nothing more than to have this Senate race focus on him vs. anyone else but Jim Miller," Jonathan Baron said.
He said the Miller campaign is determined not to let that happen. Miller has scheduled a news conference this morning in Richmond to release "confidential documents . . . that focus on Jim Miller's integrity and his ability to represent Virginia with distinction," Baron said.
He would not elaborate.
North said whatever the documents are, they will have no effect on his candidacy.
"I may be the only person running for public office who doesn't have to be concerned about someone going over to the wall, opening up the closet and taking out a skeleton. I not only have no skeletons, I have no closet," he said.
Negative campaign tactics won't work, North said.
"When you decide as a candidate that the only way to get to where you apparently intend to go is to strip down to your skivvies like a sumo wrestler and jump into a hog pen to wrestle, that's a sign of self-destruction," he said.
Jim Gaudet, a former Richmond police detective and chairman of the Law Enforcement for Oliver North coalition, said North would "stand up for our interests."
He said he sees nothing inconsistent in a law enforcement group supporting a candidate who was convicted of felonies for lying to Congress.
Robb is opposed for the Democratic nomination by Richmond lawyer Sylvia Clute, state Sen. Virgil Goode of Rocky Mount and Nancy Spannaus, a follower of political extremist Lyndon LaRouche. The nominee will be chosen in a June 14 primary.
Keywords:
POLITICS
Memo: ***CORRECTION***