Clementalaults White in JUN 1 1 82 PC 140.TH ST TEL KOR A M By ANN ARNOLD Star.Telegram Austin Bureau AUSTIN — Gov. Bill Clements at tacked Attorney General Mark White Thursday, saying the man he faces in the November election has stymied efforts to settle the 10-year- old prison suit and cost the state more than $1 million for outside le- gal counsel. White charged, Clements is play- ing politics with Ole prison suit and loose with the faets. Clements told reporters at his weekly news conference that the U.S. Justice Department' and key parties to the prison suit will begin settlement negotiatons June a. "If we had had the kind of repre- sentation that I think the state de- serves through our attorney gener- al.'s office this probably could have been done some months ago," Clements said, White, however, said his office has been negotiating with Washing- ton and lawyers for the prison in- mates for months. "I can't understand this governor jumping up and saying let's get to the negotiating table That's whe-e weLs.e. been governor,." White said. "Clements is apparently the only one that didn't know we were negotiating." The attorney general called a news conference of his own to an- swer Clements and show reportersa foot-high stack of records from the massive prison suit documenting the U.S. Justice Department stand on single cells for prisoners. "The Justice Department insisted as late as this morning that they wanted at the conclusion of thisht*- suit for the prisoners to have private cells," White said. "This is incredi- ble." Rick Gray, White's executive as- sistant, said David J.W. Vanderhoff, the assistant U.S. attorney repre- senting Washington at negotiations in Houston Thursday, told him the Justice Department could not agree to anything less than single cells for 40 to 60 percent of the prison In- mates. Clements instated Bradford Rep nolds, head of the Justice Depart- ment's Civil Rights Division, had in- formed him the single cell issue is no longer a controversy. "Someone we all know keeps wanting to demagogue this baulk- t ion and talk about Holiday' Inns for prisoners, which is absolute non- sense." Clements said. "All that I've been hearing from the attorney general is Holiday Inn. He must have a Holiday Inn mentality. He's just like a broken record — he can't get off of this." Clements said White had advised him in the past to avoid trying to v start an settlement negotiations because any would be disruptive to the Lawsuit" "I have finally decided we don't Aeed any more lawyers and what we need is to sit down 11°. that negotiat- ing table and settle this suit," Clements said. ements accused White of "gross epresentation" for saying he d14 not choose to hire a private law thin to help defend the state in the mammoth prison suit. "Redid choose the Jaworski firm. There is no question whatsoever that he chose them," Cies,' —lid, on firm of Fulbright, Jawor- skl. White, however, saki the Houston 14w firm was hired toast the state at the insistence of Clements and the State Board of Corrections. "I think it was done clearly as a political ploy to embarrass this offiee,"White said. "I have re- frained from holding press confer- ences because of the potentially ex- plosive situation. I feel a number of incorrect statements have been made in the past twn days." Clements accused nite of "abso- lute fabrication." Reynolds, the man both claimed would bear out their side, issued a • I legalistic statement in Washington saying the Justice - Department stands by its earlier stand in the prison suit but could conceivably agree to some double ceiling of pris- on inmates if other measures were taken to curb violence. "As I have advised both Gov. Clements and Attorney General White, the Justice Department is anxious to continue settlement talks with all parties involved, in- cluding the plaintiff, as successfully was done with certain issues now resolved," Reynolds said in a state- ment relayed by an aide. "I' the plaintiffs (inmate lawyers) say 'no we're not settling,' there's no settlement," White said. GOP candidate vows crime fight By LID DAILY NEWS E LACKEY Meier said he would welcome Globe-News Start WriterJUN debate with Mattox, saying this race will offer the clearest conservative- liberal choice on the general elec- tion ballot. He said he believed liberalism would be wrong in the attorney gen- eral's post, because the majority of Texans are conservative, and that the majority philosophy should be represented in that office. "I feel that there is no room for conservatism in the Texas Demo- cratic Party The last election proves that," said Meier. who origi- nally was elected to the state senate as a Democrat and later switched to the Republican Party. He led a statewide coalition of Texas Democrats who supported the Reagan candidacy in 1980. Responding to a question men- tioning Nlattox's allegation that Meier is depending on special inter- est groups in the election, Meier countered. "Jim Mattox got the en- dorsement of several special inter- est groups.- 9 '82 Vowing that the fight against or- ganized crime will be his No. 1 prior- ity if elected Texas Attorney Gener- al, Republican State Scn. Bill Meier brought his campaign to the Pan- handle yesterday, hoping to attract West Texas support from the camp of Max Sherman, who finished third in the May 1 Democratic primary race. Meier faces U.S. Rep. Jim Mat- tox, D-Dallas in the November gen- eral election. Mattox survived a five-man May 1 primary race, then ousted John Hannah in a June 5 run- off for his party's nomination Sherman, after failing in his bid for the Democratic nomination, !hrew his support to Hannah in the June 5 runoff. The former West Tex- as State University president is a conservative, and Meier believes his views are more in line with Sher- man's and the Panhandle area than are Mattox' philosophies. Meier challenged Mattox. a lib era'. to a debate dunng yesterday's Amarillo press conference. . He discussed a wide range'el• is- sues and differences with the Dallas County Democrat, but said he mil run a positive campaign "The Attorney General's pest is as sensitive as any posit In in -'.it(' government. The job demands geed qualifications," the ! serenor om Euless said. lie said he is more qualified thsn Mattox. pointing to In years in the Texas Senate, his experience on the State Finance Committee, his expe- rience in working with all state- de- partment heads, and his 15 years of bar experience. He said that Mattox' last six years as a U.S. representative have put him out of touch with state gov- ernment. Meier said he would favor ex- tending the attorney general's in- vestigative functions in tile struggle against organized crime in Texas He wrote the Texas death penal- ty law and helped pass bills to crack down on drunken drivers and por- nography - particularl child por- nography - in addition to working on legislation to fight organized crime. Meier emphasized at the no0s conference the importance of light ing drug trafficking He sponsored a a GOP falls short ,1/2AC0 Tfil L JUN 10 ,82 A little more planning and organization, please, from the Texas GOP. The' party has fallen short on both counts by belatedly offering its "real" candidates for state treasurer and agriculture commissioner. Since the st (;(11' presumably knew at the same time ex eryone else did what state offices were going to be open, it should have had sufficient time to seek out candidates for those offices. But instead of putting serious names on the ballot, it merely filled in with names, to give itself more stalling time. Now WV are told by a wire service that the Re- publican nominee for state treasurer, Allen Clark Jr., is "non-committal" on what the state treas- urer needs to do about investing state money and setting the interest rates on state investments. -We'll see what we have to do about that," and "I think that ought to be looked at," were his re- sponses to questions about those two issues. His answers invite a third question — "now long have you known you were going to run for this office?" If Texas is going to have a decent two-part' system. the GOP must get behind the goal enthusi astically. This method of plugging candidates int the race at the 11th hour is not the way to achiev that goal. The state's Republican Party will fin( more strength and more supporters if it puts u serious, well-informed candidates from the start. I It, •-• • 6 •