Ex-lottery official may testify about Miers
He alleged in lawsuit that Miers protected company
because of Bush connection.
By Ken Herman
WASHINGTON BUREAU
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
WASHINGTON -- The Senate Judiciary Committee is moving toward
questioning a former Texas lottery official who has alleged that the
state's Lottery Commission under Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers
protected a contractor because one of its consultants had helped President
Bush get into the National Guard.
Robert Vincent, a spokesman for Gtech, the Rhode Island-based company
that ran the Texas lottery, confirmed Tuesday that the committee had
contacted his company to see whether it would object to questioning of
Lawrence Littwin, whose lawsuit against Gtech ended with a settlement that
included a gag order barring him from discussing the allegations.
Vincent said the settlement allows Littwin, a former Texas lottery
executive director, to "respond to any government inquiries" about his
five-month stint at the Texas Lottery Commission in 1997.
Miers was an appointee of then-Gov. Bush who led the three-member
commission from 1995 to 2000.
"We indicated we would fully cooperate with any request (the committee)
might have," Vincent said.
Littwin's federal lawsuit, which sought $2.6 million but was settled in
1999 for $300,000, alleged that Gtech interference contributed to his
firing. The firing came shortly after Littwin began looking into state
campaign finance records to see whether Gtech had made illegal
contributions to politicians.
In his lawsuit, Littwin said Gtech held sway over the commission
because company consultant Ben Barnes, a former Texas lieutenant governor
and House speaker, had had a direct role in getting Bush into the Texas
Air National Guard during the Vietnam War.
The company called the allegations "preposterous" and admitted no
wrongdoing in agreeing to the settlement.
Littwin declined to comment. Earlier this month, when Miers was
nominated, Littwin said, "If they call me to testify, I would
testify."
Bush, in announcing his selection of longtime friend and adviser Miers
to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, cited
Miers' tenure at the Lottery Commission as evidence of her fairness and
integrity.
A Judiciary Committee spokesman declined to discuss the panel's
interest in Littwin's allegations. Miers' confirmation hearings are set to
begin Nov. 7.
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