Dole Gears Up For Super Tuesday

LITTLE ROCK: The Whitewater trial of Governor Jim Guy Tucker and two former business associates of President Clinton began Monday with the defense complaining of racial bias and the prosecution accusing the trio of plotting "perfect crimes." Tucker, James McDougal and Susan McDougal are charged with arranging almost $3 million in loans and lying about how they were going to use the money. The trial opened with Tucker's attorneys claiming prosecutors had removed one woman because of her race. Federal Judge George Howard Jr. agreed and reinstated the woman, making the jury nine whites and three blacks. After the jury was seated, Prosecutor Ray Jahn described a succession of illegal deals he said began when banker Mr. McDougal made the governor an offer "he couldn't refuse." The McDougals were partners with the Clintons in the Whitewater land development in Arkansas. Chief prosecution witness David Hale says Clinton pressured him to make a $300,000 loan to Mrs. McDougal. Mr. McDougal denied that claim on Monday. "I was offered immunity if I would back up Mr. Hale's lies," he said. "But I'm not going to do that." Clinton is expected to testify for the defense, sometime in early April.