ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, July 16, 1996 TAG: 9607160070
SECTION: NATL/INTL PAGE: A-3 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: LITTLE ROCK, ARK.
SOURCE: Associated Press
Capping a day of confusion about whether he would stay in office or go, Gov. Jim Guy Tucker resigned without restrictions Monday and his lieutenant governor was sworn in to succeed him.
The tumultuous sequence of events began when Tucker said he considered his conviction a temporary disability and said he would return to office if his appeal was successful.
James and Susan McDougal, President and Hillary Clinton's former partners in Whitewater, were convicted along with Tucker of fraud and conspiracy after being accused of scheming in the mid-1980s to make illegal loans.
Tucker called Lt. Gov. Mike Huckabee just five minutes before Huckabee was to be sworn in as governor to inform him of the decision. He said Huckabee, a Republican who gave up a promising Senate campaign in anticipation of taking over, objected.
Huckabee then said he would call an emergency session of the Legislature to begin impeachment proceedings if Tucker's unconditional resignation wasn't handed in by 9 a.m. today. The state's attorney general filed a lawsuit seeking Tucker's ouster.
Tucker relented, saying at 6 p.m. that he would step aside unconditionally. Huckabee was sworn in at 6:45 p.m.
Messages left with Tucker's spokesman and officials from his 1994 campaign were not immediately returned. The governor's mansion was standing empty Monday night as Tucker had left and the Huckabees had yet to move in.
After his May 28 conviction, Tucker said he would resign by Monday. But when his self-imposed deadline arrived, he said he had decided not to step aside because he believes he will win on appeal.
The appeal is based on the fact that one of the jurors who convicted him was married to a man whose 40-year cocaine sentence Tucker refused to commute in 1992.
The Arkansas constitution allows a governor to give up the job temporarily because of ``disabilities'' and to say when the disability ends.
``I don't know how I would explain two weeks from now if the elimination of the verdict would eliminate the reason for my resignation,'' Tucker said earlier Monday, adding that he would quit office if his motion to set aside the verdict was rejected.
Tucker, 53, who had 21/2 years remaining on his four-year term, will be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison Aug. 19 if his appeal is denied.
Huckabee, 40, is the state's first Republican governor since Frank White in 1982.
-DS-07-15-96 2310ELITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Capping a day of confusion about whether Gov. Jim Guy Tucker would stay in office or go, Tucker resigned without restrictions Monday, and his lieutenant governor was sworn in to succeed him.
The tumultuous sequence of events began when Tucker said he considered his conviction a temporary disability and would return to office if his appeal was successful.
He called Lt. Gov. Mike Huckabee just five minutes before Huckabee was to be sworn in as governor to inform him of the decision. He said Huckabee, a Republican who gave up a promising Senate campaign in anticipation of taking over, objected.
Huckabee responded by saying he would call an emergency session of the Legislature to begin impeachment proceedings if Tucker's unconditional resignation wasn't handed in by 9 a.m. today. The state's attorney general filed a lawsuit in state court seeking Tucker's ouster.
After the impeachment threat, Tucker apparently relented, saying at 6 p.m. that he would step aside unconditionally. Huckabee was sworn in at 6:45 p.m.
Hours after his May 28 conviction on fraud and conspiracy charges, Tucker said he would resign by Monday. But when his self-imposed deadline finally arrived, he said he had decided not to step aside because he believes he will win his case on appeal.
The appeal is based on the fact that one of the jurors who convicted him was married to a man whose 40-year cocaine sentence Tucker refused to commute in 1992.
The Arkansas constitution allows a governor to give up the job temporarily because of ``disabilities.'' The governor retains the right to say when the disability is over.
``I don't know how I would explain two weeks from now if the elimination of the verdict would eliminate the reason for my resignation,'' Tucker said.
Tucker, 53, did say he would quit office if his motion to set aside the verdict was rejected.
He was convicted along with James and Susan McDougal, after the three were accused of scheming in the mid-1980s to make illegal loans.
Tucker, who had 21/2 years remaining on his four-year term, will be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison on Aug. 19 if his appeal is denied.
Huckabee, 40, is the state's first Republican governor since Frank White in 1982.
AP-DS-07-15-96 2046ELITTLE ROCK - Capping a day of confusion about whether Gov. Jim Guy Tucker would stay in office or go, Tucker resigned without restictions Monday and his lieutenant governor was sworn in to succeed him.
The tumultuous sequence of events began when Tucker said he considered his conviction on Whitewater-related charges a temporary disability and would return to office if his appeal was successful.
He called Lt. Gov. Mike Huckabee just five minutes before Huckabee was to be sworn in as governor to inform him of the decision. He said Huckabee, a Republican who gave up a promising Senate campaign in anticipation of taking over, objected.
Huckabee responded by saying he would call an emergency session of the Legislature to begin impeachment proceedings if Tucker's unconditional resignation wasn't handed in by 9 a.m. Tuesday, and the state's attorney general filed a lawsuit in state court seeking Tucker's ouster.
After the impeachment threat, Tucker apparently relented, saying at 6 p.m. that he would step aside unconditionally. Huckabee was sworn in at 6:45 p.m.
Tucker had originally resigned hours after his May 28 conviction on fraud and conspiracy charges, but said Monday he decided not to step aside because he believes he will win his appeal.
The appeal is based on the fact that one of the jurors who convicted him was married to a man whose 40-year cocaine sentence Tucker refused to commute in 1992.
The Arkansas Constitution allows a governor to give up the job temporarily due to ``disabilities'' such as criminal convictions or medical problems. The governor retains the right to say when the disability is over.
LENGTH: Long : 121 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: AP. Jim Guy Tucker, who resigned Monday as Arkansasby CNBgovernor, had reneged on an earlier vow to quit, but then
reconsidered.