Source: Houston Chronicle Contact: Fri, 08 Aug 1997 Page 1 http://www.chron.com/cgibin/auth/story/content/chronicle/page1/97/08/08/lugar.20.html Senator threatens Helms to hold hearings on Weld By GREG McDONALD Copyright 1997 Houston Chronicle Washington Bureau WASHINGTON The chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee threatened Thursday to take action against tobacco farmers unless Sen. Jesse Helms, RN.C., agrees to hold hearings on William Weld's nomination as ambassador to Mexico. Sen. Richard Lugar, RInd., said he has not yet decided "what options" he might pursue to force a hearing on Weld before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which Helms chairs. Lugar suggested, however, that he could use his authority as chairman of the agriculture panel to push for an end to tobacco subsidies or to limit input by Helms on whether the Senate should ratify the recent $368 billion settlement between tobacco companies and 40 states. "I'm not going to speculate on what's going to occur in the agriculture committee. ... But I would observe, though, that we're going to ... take up tobacco on Sept. 11 and Sept. 18," Lugar said during a breakfast with reporters. "This is a very big issue for the whole country. It's a big issue for Sen. Helms," Lugar added pointedly. He also offered his personal view that subsidies the government pays to tobacco growers should be stopped. "To those who are in the tobacco business, I would say, `You're on your own. No more tobacco program,' " Lugar added. Helms, who gave up chairmanship of the agriculture panel to head Foreign Relations, is still the No. 2 Republican on the Agriculture Committee and represents the biggest tobacco producing state in the country. So far, Helms has refused to schedule a hearing on Weld's nomination because he believes the former Massachusetts governor and fellow Republican is too soft on drugs. Helms' spokesman, Marc Thiessen, said he was surprised by Lugar's remarks Thursday. "Senator Helms would never do or say anything to hurt farmers in Indiana, and we're surprised Senator Lugar would suggest hurting North Carolina farmers," Thiessen said in a statement. "We think once Senator Lugar has some time to think about it some more, he'll realize it's not an appropriate course of action." Lugar has emerged as the leading spokesman within his party in pushing for a hearing. The Indianan says he does not know how he would vote on the nominee, but he believes that Weld deserves a chance "to make his case" before the committee. "I'm just saying I'm a member of the (Foreign Relations) Committee. I want a vote, I want a hearing. I think other members of our committee do. ... " Lugar said. "It is not only unfair, but it seems to me unacceptable, for one chairman to say, `In my committee, I will be a dictator.' " Lugar said he hopes that Helms will relent. But if he doesn't, Lugar said he is prepared to flex the same kind of "dictatorial" muscle on the agriculture panel that Helms uses in running Foreign Relations. "I'm not indicating, nor do I want to have, dictatorial power over tobacco," Lugar said. White House Press Secretary Mike McCurry called Lugar's threat against Helms an "interesting development" in the Weld nomination. But he refused to comment further. President Clinton has vowed to support his nominee, even to the point of joking earlier this week that he's prepared to "jump off those cliffs at Acapulco." But the president and his aides have been reluctant to criticize Helms' position publicly. Weld, a moderate Republican long at odds with conservatives in his party, resigned as governor of Massachusetts last week to launch what he called a "land war" against the powerful Foreign Relations chairman. Lugar said he fears "the risk" of a "messy and divisive" battle between GOP moderates and conservatives if the issue is not resolved soon. Citing Weld's strong popularity in New England, Lugar suggested that it might be in the best interest of conservatives to push for Weld's confirmation, if for no other reason "to keep him occupied" as the 2000 presidential race approaches. "I barely know Governor Weld," Lugar said. But he called it "remarkable" that he had been elected twice as governor of Massachusetts. "Our party is not doing well in New England," added Lugar, a former GOP presidential candidate. "It's a difficult row to hoe. But Governor Weld, for some reason, has found some magic in a lot of those endeavors. It may not transfer to the South or the West or the Midwest, but he has been a considerable figure in the party." Lugar, who was chairman of Foreign Relations before Helms pulled seniority to claim the top committee spot, has crossed swords with the North Carolinian on a number of issues, including the chemical weapons treaty and United Nations reforms. Lugar maintains, however, that the two still have a "good relationship." Nonetheless, he said Helms has responded "negatively" to his formal written request for a hearing. That may leave only one option now for forcing the issue a petition signed by a majority of committee members. If all eight Democrats on the committee sign, only the signatures of two Republicans would be needed to hold a hearing without Helms' consent.