Gov. Tucker Won’t Have to Submit Papers to RTC in Whitewater Case

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. —  Gov. Jim Guy Tucker won a significant legal victory Wednesday when a U.S. district judge stayed a subpoena by the Resolution Trust Corp. in its investigation of the collapse of an Arkansas savings and loan tied to the Whitewater affair.

“It’s a legal and a moral victory,” said John Haley, one of Tucker’s attorneys, who called the RTC “rude, discourteous, arrogant and pushy.”

Still pending was Tucker’s motion to quash a subpoena from Whitewater independent counsel Kenneth W. Starr that directed him to appear this morning before a special grand jury. Tucker contends he should not have to appear unless Starr informs him in advance of the nature of the inquiry.

The RTC subpoena demanded financial documents from Tucker and his wife. The Tuckers have maintained that the documents are already in Starr’s possession and the RTC can get them from him.

The documents involve loans made to Tucker by Madison Guaranty Savings & Loan, the now-defunct thrift that was owned by James B. McDougal, a partner with the Clintons in the Whitewater land development.

Tucker took out loans from Madison Guaranty to finance his hugely successful investments in cable TV systems and real estate.

In 1993 the RTC said Tucker appeared to have diverted loan funds from Madison to his personal use, which he denies.