Former DNC chair denies phone calls

WASHINGTON - Former Democratic National Committee chairman Donald Fowler testified repeatedly yesterday that he has no recollection of telephone calls that Central Intelligence Agency officials said he made to them on behalf of a Lebanese American businessman who he had been warned had a background "full of significant financial and ethical troubles."

During a full day of increasingly skeptical questioning by Republican members of the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee, Fowler provided low-key answers almost in a monotone as he insisted that he had no memory of ever talking to a shadowy figure who was identified only as "Bob of the CIA."

Yesterday's hearing, part of the committee's investigation of campaign fund-raising improprieties during the 1996 election cycle, focused on Roger Tamraz, a major Democratic Party contributor who was seeking support from the Clinton administration for a plan to build a $2.5 billion pipeline to carry oil from the Caspian Sea region of Central Asia to Western markets.

Fowler, who now teaches political science at the University of South Carolina, was directly involved in some of the most controversial aspects of 1996 Democratic campaign fund-raising practices and his testimony was eagerly anticipated. But by the end of yesterday, his assertions of lack of memory, particularly about the alleged calls to the CIA, led some GOP committee members to question his truthfulness.

Warning Fowler that he was testifying under oath, Sen. Don Nickles (R-Okla.) said, "There are some things that make me wonder whether you're really being truthful with this committee. ... Your selective 'I can't recall' I think does have us question your credibility."

"You may question my credibility if you wish," Fowler replied gravely. "It is not justified and it's inappropriate."

Fowler was also questioned about other Democratic fund-raising practices, including an event at a Buddhist temple in California that was attended by Vice President Gore that raised money for the Democrats. Saying the gathering had both political and fund-raising aspects, "a blended event if you will," Fowler said, "it is my belief the vice president did not know about the fund-raising aspects of that event."

Fowler also denied that there was any connection between contributions to the Democratic Party by Indian tribes.

in Minnesota and a decision by the Bureau of Indian Affairs to reject a proposal by a Wisconsin tribe to open a gambling casino near the Minnesota border. The Minnesota tribes, which have extensive and lucrative gambling interests, strongly opposed the Wisconsin plan.

But it was Tamraz, who contributed at least $300,000 to the DNC and state Democratic parties and candidates during the last election cycle, who was the focus of yesterday's hearing.

Tamraz was scheduled to attend a breakfast meeting with Vice President Gore on Oct. 5, 1995. But the invitation was withdrawn after the National Security Council told Gore's staff that Tamraz "has a history of making false claims" and that senior government officials should not meet with him.

The day after the breakfast, Tamraz met with Fowler, whose handwritten notes from the meeting include the notation "go to CIA" and the name of a CIA official. In the notes, edited by the committee before they were released, the CIA official's last name was blacked out, leaving him identified only as "Bob." Since reports of contacts with the CIA on behalf of Tamraz first surfaced earlier this year, Fowler said, "in the middle of the night, at high noon, at every hour of the day, I have searched my memory" for a recollection of such contacts."

Asked by Committee Chairman Fred D. Thompson (R-Tenn.), whether an October 1995 memo written by the mysterious "Bob" recounting a telephone conversation with Fowler "refreshes your recollection," Fowler replied, "Not in the least."

"Really?" Thompson said in a slightly sarcastic tone.

The committee yesterday made public two memos by "Bob of the CIA" recalling attempts by Fowler to assist Tamraz. In a December 1995 memo, only two paragraphs of which were made public, "Bob" said Fowler had called the CIA "to ask if it could provide a letter on Tamraz to clear Tamraz's name with the president."

According to yesterday's testimony, warnings about Tamraz began even before his scheduled breakfast with Gore was scuttled by NSC objections. In a July 1995 memo from Alejandra Y. Castillo of the DNC staff, Fowler was told that while Tamraz's financial contributions would be welcome, "his past involvement in shaky international business and para-military organizations may generate considerable problems for the DNC."

"His business background has proved to be full of significant financial and ethical troubles," Castillo added. "Pay attention to these warning signals."

"I do not recall this memo," Fowler said.

09-10-97