Word: toweritis
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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...call was between President Bush, who has promised his Administration will avoid even the "appearance" of wrong-doing; "ethics czar" C. Boyden Gray, who has been accused of violating ethics rules because he recently received money from his family business; and Secretary of Defense nominee John G. Tower, whom the Senate Armed Services Committee, headed by Sam Nunn (D-Ga.), refuses to confirm because of allegations of his drinking, womanizing, accepting illegal campaign contributions and consulting defense contractors after retiring from the Senate and the Armed Services Committee...
...seems unlikely that anyone could come up with evidence of misconduct strong enough to swing a majority of the Senate against Tower. But at minimum, the momentum has leaked out of his confirmation drive. Tower already has the unenviable distinction of being the first Cabinet hopeful in memory to be asked point-blank if he is a drunk...
That happened after Weyrich, who heads the archconservative Free Congress Research and Education Foundation, charged in an open hearing that Tower could become a "national embarrassment" as Secretary of Defense. "Over the course of many years," he explained, "I have encountered the nominee in a condition, a lack of sobriety, as well as with women to whom he was not married." Nunn would hear no more right then, though he promised Weyrich a chance to elaborate in closed session. In a later open hearing, Nunn asked Tower "whether you yourself have any alcohol problem." Tower's answer: "I have none...
Another line of questioning, however, may eventually damage Tower even more. Between 1986 and late 1988, he was paid $750,000 in consulting fees by several major defense contractors. He had earlier served as chief American negotiator in START talks aimed at limiting strategic nuclear missiles. He told the committee that his firm provided both Martin Marietta and LTV with information on the impact a separate INF treaty banning medium-range missiles might have on their businesses. Michigan Democrat Carl Levin suggested those contacts might create the appearance that Tower had leaked to the contractors secret information about...
None of this is likely to erode the White House's strong support for Tower. The diminutive Texan's 1962 success in becoming the first Republican Senator from the Lone Star State since Reconstruction helped inspire oilman George Bush to enter Texas G.O.P. politics. Last year Tower was one of the first prominent Republicans to endorse Bush, and he stumped hard for Bush throughout the campaign. Tower has coveted the post of Secretary of Defense for at least eight years; he asked Ronald Reagan for it in early 1981 and renewed his request immediately after Bush won last year...