Sen. Hutchison Pleads Not Guilty to Ethics Charges

FT. WORTH — U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Tex.) pleaded not guilty Monday to criminal ethics charges stemming from her former post as state treasurer, during a day of court proceedings interrupted by a bomb threat in an unrelated case.

Judge John F. Onion Jr. called a postponement 30 minutes after he began considering pretrial motions because a caller had claimed that a bomb was planted in the Tarrant County Criminal Justice Center, said Sheriff’s Lt. G. M. Hendrix.

The threat involved a trial of anti-abortion protesters, Hendrix said. All nine floors were evacuated and side streets were blocked while the building was searched. No bomb was found and the building reopened before noon.

Hutchison maintains that the charges are a political attack by Democrats to ruin her reelection attempt this year. Prosecutors have denied any political motivation.

Indictments allege Hutchison, 50, used state funds, state employees and state computers for her political campaign, and then altered records as part of a cover-up.

Hutchison was state treasurer from January, 1991, to June, 1993. Last June, she won in a landslide special election for the remaining Senate term of Lloyd Bentsen, who was appointed President Clinton’s Treasury secretary.

Onion denied requests from Courtroom Television Network and the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram to allow cameras inside the courtroom. Both organizations said they would appeal.