North to Support Cox, Rohrabacher in House Races

Former Lt. Col. Oliver L. North, who has called the charges against him in the Iran-Contra affair a “badge of honor,” will campaign for two former White House aides in their bids to win local congressional seats, representatives of the candidates confirmed Thursday.

North has agreed to appear June 2 on behalf of C. Christopher Cox of Newport Beach, a candidate in the 40th Congressional District, and on June 1 for Dana Rohrabacher of Palos Verdes Estates, who is running in the 42nd Congressional District, the spokespersons said.

Cox, former senior associate counsel to President Reagan, said Thursday that in his two years in the White House, he worked with North several times on behalf of the Nicaraguan Contras, seeking more military aid for their cause.

As a White House speech writer, Rohrabacher said, he also worked with North over six years on presidential speeches concerning Central American policy. He added that he occasionally socialized with North and was a co-host with Cox of a chili and tequila barbecue in the summer of 1986 at which North was a guest.

In their respective campaigns, Cox and Rohrabacher have played up their White House connections, hoping to win votes by painting themselves as Washington veterans. And in Cox’s case, the North endorsement is another attempt to position himself as the most conservative among 12 GOP candidates in the June 7 primary in the 40th Congressional District, which includes Newport Beach, Irvine, Fountain Valley and Laguna Beach.

Republicans outnumber Democrats nearly 2 to 1 in the district, and the winner of the primary is almost certain to succeed retiring Rep. Robert E. Badham (R-Newport Beach).

Contra chief Adolfo Calero has also endorsed Cox, as has Robert H. Bork, whose nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court was rejected by the U.S. Senate.

Landing what he called the “endorsement of endorsements,” Cox said Thursday that North is an “American hero.” He said “only one man is possibly more popular in Orange County--Ronald Reagan.”

North’s appearance for Cox was confirmed by the Free Congress Foundation, a private conservative lobbying group based in Washington. The group has been coordinating North’s public appearances since he resigned from the military May 1, foundation spokesman Bill Kling said in a telephone interview. As a military officer, North was prohibited from making political appearances on behalf of candidates.

“I think this is a clear indication that Mr. North will be making more appearances in the future on behalf of conservative candidates,” foundation spokesman Kling said.

A spokeswoman for Cox, Gemma Turi, said North is scheduled to appear at two fund-raising events for Cox, a $250-per-person cocktail reception at the Irvine Hilton and a $2,000-per-person private dinner in Newport Beach.

Cox said he contacted North about endorsing his candidacy after the former Marine left the military. When North announced his retirement, Cox said “my eyes lit up . . . and I called him immediately.”

Details of North’s involvement in Cox’s campaign were then negotiated through conservative activist Paul Weyrich, president of the Free Congress Foundation, Cox said.

Although he worked with North in several attempts to secure more funding for the Contras, Cox said, he had no knowledge of arms sales to Iran and diversion of the profits to the Nicaraguan rebels. Cox said that plan was “not well structured” but added that he supported its end objective to aid the Contras.

“In that struggle,” Cox said, “I share the same goal as Oliver North.”