Office of the Governor MEMO vr. Austin, Texas 78711 Phone (512) 475-3021 August 9, 1979 • 1 i*Fikg1) ,jI TO: WILLIAM P. CLEMENTS, JR. FROM: DAVID A. DEAN f5Y 7:114;7 RE: JOHN HOLMES, D.A. DESIGNATE OF HARRIS COUNTY After receiving the note that Ted Bush, Assistant D.A. in Harris County, had called Tobin Armstrong and left a message with his secretary that John Holmes had suffered a mental lapse or breakdown Monday A.M., 8-5-79, and that John was still in the hospital, I called John. Here is his version: John said that in 1969 he had a back operation and a disc was re- moved. He said his back has been giving him some minor problems over the past several years. He said that Monday he developed a headache and discomfort not unlike he has been experiencing and that he decided to go to the hospital to find out what was causing the problem. He said that he had had a brain scan, bone scan, spinal tap, and many other tests run over the past several days, that his stay in the hospital was for testing purposes only, that he had gone out to dinner last night and planned to go out again tonight and that he would probably be going home tomorrow. John said that as soon as he went to the hospital someone started spreading the rumor that he had passed out Monday AM at this desk, that he had to be taken to the hospital in a straight jacket, that he had suffered a nervous breakdown. He said that as soon as he heard about the rumors, he called his friends in the media, in- vited them by to visit, and gave them his doctor's hone number. He said that as far as he knew that none of the rumors had made it to print but assured me that they were indeed false. He also said that someone is circulating copies of a letter purportedly written by a friend of his wife saying that the only reason she was staying with him was for fear for her life because of John's heavy mafia connections. He said none of the allegations wer true, however. Yesterday afternoon Linda Howell called Ted Bush to ask him about the situation. Bush told her ostensibly the same thing Holmes told me. Linda asked him why he had called the office and said Holmes had had a mental lapse. Bush denied having called the Governor's office. It looks like John has some very persistent enemies. DAVID A. DEAN General Counsel