◆ SpookStack

ASHINGTON. = Ape parently no one in Wash: ington is safe from the on vicious accusations that keep seep- = ing out of the FBI’s raw files. The subterranean traffic in tittle-tattle, most of it as false as it is scur- rilous, has besmirched some of Washington's biggest reputations. dignitaries as Secretary of State Alexander Haig, Speaker Tip ‘O'Neill, Sen. Ted Kennedy, D- Mass., ex-Sen. Jacob Javits, R- N.Y:, ‘sen. Pat Moynihan, D-N.Y., Sen. Alfonse D'Amato, R-N.Y., and .House Judiciary Chairman Peter Rodino, D-N.J., to name a few. Most of the ugly, unfounded accusations can be traced to the infamous ABSCAM tapes, which were kept by undercover agents who tried to coax members of Congress into committing crimes. The tapes contain hundreds of hours of sordid dialogue, implicat- ing prominent politicians in shab- by conspiracies, But at the end of ie ABSCAM investigation, after the exhilaration of the publicity and the trials was over, came the Tuination of several lives, includ- ing those of innocent people. “Washington can be a cruel se nH 31 Pun told me after reading an FBI transcript about himself. The tran- script, reviewed by my associate Indy Badhwar, contains salacious statements that thave been in- vestigated and have been found untrue, the FBI informed the State Department. Still the docu- ment has been passed around the backrooms of Washington like a forbidden copy of a pornographic manuscript. Sey Haig’s accuser ‘was Alfred Carpentier, an East Meadow, N.Y., businessman, who his been sentenced to four years in prison . in connection with the ABSCAM operation. While the secret FBI tapes picked up every word, he told of an alleged argument with Haig over a Haig acquaintance — a man with underworld connections The victims include such’ city,” a subdued Alexander Haig — mo James Pasi + who was also an alleged Te had never; _* Mp ws also an allege Tei . Although the ABSCAM opera- tives agreed that Carpentier had a loose and vicious tongue, they not only leaked his foulmouthings about Haig but offered for the. public record his tape-recorded accusations against Sen: D'Amato. * Carpentier told FBI undercover agents that he had been paying off politicians. “No big numbers,” he _ said, “Five to ten grand. . D'Amato may look to shake yoo down for a little more. The guy is’ definitely taking contributions. He's on the take.” ©"... The judge hastened to em- phasize that there was “absolutely - no proof” of any wrongdoing by _the maligned senator. - Still another transcript de- scribes an elaborate plot to funnel - money “to 10 or 12 congressmen” ~ through a Republican campaign committee. This was proposed by William Rosenberg, a shady poli-* tico, who promised that “when a favor is needed, at that time a congressman would assist.” * In ‘the tapes, Rodino is portrayed as “controlled by thi New Jersey mob” and “backed by them” financially. Several other distinguished members of Con- gress, ‘including Sen. Pat Moynihan, Sen. Russell Long, D-' La., and House Democratic leader, Jim Wright, D-Texas, are charac- . terized as candidates for forrup”. - tion.: . . All these unsubstantiated charges are being blown around , the country by.an ill, wind called, : ABSCAM. ¢ 2.1%: a Footnote: The FBI refused to comment on the scandal-monger. ing on the grounds that the. . ABSCAM cases are ‘still under investigation. Carpentier 's s lawyer,’ :