THE LEDGER-STAR
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 15, 1994 TAG: 9409150697
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: BERRYVILLE, VA. LENGTH: Short : 35 lines
The state commission that investigates complaints against judges has requested documents related to a judge's refusal to renew a concealed weapons permit for Oliver North.
Clarke County Circuit Judge James L. Berry said in his ruling last month that North, the Republican Senate nominee, ``was not of good character'' because of his Iran-Contra felony convictions that were overturned on appeal.
Supporters of North have said that the ruling was politically motivated because Berry, a Democrat, granted the permit in March 1992, after the Iran-Contra convictions.
Berry has denied any political motive in his ruling.
Reno S. Harp III, attorney for the state Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission, requested copies of the final orders entered in North's permit applications, according to an Aug. 29 letter in North's case file.
North's spokesman, Mark Merritt, said ``no one in the campaign has asked for an investigation into Judge Berry.''
But, he said, Berry ``certainly does deserve to be reprimanded.''
State Sen. H. Russell Potts Jr., R-Winchester, would neither confirm nor deny that he filed a complaint against Berry with the commission, but criticized what he called Berry's ``abuse of power.''
KEYWORDS: U.S. SENATE RACE CANDIDATE GUN PERMIT by CNB