Lugar Ups Stakes In Fight With Helms

Sen. Richard G. Lugar upped the stakes in the battle over William F. Weld’s nomination Thursday, threatening to make trouble for Sen. Jesse A Helms’ tobacco interests if the senator does not call a committee hearing and permit a vote on the diplomatic post.

It was the second time in a week that Lugar, chairman of the agriculture committee and the second ranking Republican on Helms’ Foreign Relations committee, criticized Helms’ handling Weld’s nomination as ambassador to Mexico.

The senator from Indiana, who said Sunday that he might force a hearing on Weld, suggested at a breakfast with reporters Thursday that he may make his displeasure known during upcoming agriculture committee hearings relating to the recent tobacco settlement. The committee is expected to grapple with the settlement’s adverse impact on tobacco farmers and on price support programs.