-Caveat Lector- JULY 13, 11:19 EDT Cisneros Aides' Charges Dropped By MICHELLE MITTELSTADT Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — The independent counsel prosecuting former Housing Secretary Henry Cisneros has agreed to dismiss criminal charges against two former aides who were to stand trial with the one-time Clinton Cabinet member in September. The action leaves Cisneros to stand trial alone on charges that he conspired with ex-mistress Linda Jones and the two aides to conceal during his Cabinet background check the scope of his financial payments to Ms. Jones. Sylvia Arce-Garcia and John Rosales, who followed Cisneros from San Antonio to Washington when he became housing secretary, were indicted with Cisneros in December 1997 on charges they conspired to conceal details of the payments from FBI agents conducting Cisneros' Cabinet background check. During a hearing Monday, prosecutors announced they will dismiss charges against Ms. Arce-Garcia and Rosales within six months after the Cisneros case is concluded provided that neither commits any crimes. Under the arrangement, the two admitted no wrongdoing and made no commitment to cooperate with the government's special prosecutors. Ms. Jones, who is serving 3 1/2 years in prison after herself running afoul of Independent Counsel David Barrett, is cooperating with the government under a deal that could result in a sentence reduction. Lawyers for Ms. Arce-Garcia and Rosales welcomed prosecutors' action. ``Sylvia pled not guilty due to her strong belief that she should never have been charged,'' her lawyer, Abbe Lowell, said today. ``I am glad that the independent counsel has now seen fit to end this case against her.'' ``I have now been involved in perhaps my fifth or sixth case brought by independent counsels that never would have been brought by experienced career prosecutors,'' Lowell added. ``The end of the independent counsel statute is a good thing for the American justice system.'' Jeffrey Gans, who represented Rosales, said he and his client were ``thrilled'' at prosecutors' decision to drop the charges. ``John can get back to his life without having the cloud of an indictment hanging over his head,'' Gans said. ``It's been a tremendous weight lifted from his shoulders, a weight not of his own creation.'' Rosales remained at the Department of Housing and Urban Development after Cisneros left in 1996 and is an assistant to Housing Secretary Andrew Cuomo. Ms. Arce-Garcia is a top aide to Cisneros, who is president of the Spanish-language television network Univision. The two were charged with one count each of conspiracy, and Rosales also was charged with two counts of making false statements. Prosecutors had hoped to convince the pair to become government witnesses, sources familiar with the investigation said. Barrett's office declined comment. Cisneros acknowledged during his Cabinet background check that he gave Ms. Jones financial support after their extramarital affair became public in 1988, costing her marriage and career as a political fund raiser. But prosecutors contend he falsely told the FBI he never paid her more than $10,000 annually. The 18-count indictment against Cisneros alleges he paid her more than $264,000 between 1990 and 1993. He has pleaded innocent. DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance—not soapboxing! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credeence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
