Suspect In Abortion Clinic Fires Claims Ties To State Republicans

A Wenatchee man accused of setting fires at three Northern California abortion clinics is claiming connections with leading Republicans in Washington.

But those conservative politicians have denied being closely connected to Richard Thomas Andrews, 59, who is charged in an 11-count federal indictment with setting fires at a Feminist Women’s Health Center in Redding, Calif., in 1992 and 1994. He also is charged with setting a 1994 fire at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Chico, Calif., in 1994.

“That guy goes to our church. That was our connection,” House Speaker Clyde Ballard, R-East Wenatchee, told the Yakima Herald-Republic on Thursday. He did not immediately return telephone messages from The Associated Press.

Andrews’ defense lawyer, Kevin Gibbs of Seattle, had claimed during a hearing Wednesday in U.S. District Court here that Ballard and Andrews were among four co-founders of the Christian Coalition for Public Policy. The Christian political group worked successfully to get Wenatchee Valley Clinic doctors to stop performing abortions in 1985.

“That’s simply not true,” Ballard said.

Ballard said he remembered Andrews talking about forming a Christian policy group during the mid-1980s, and that it was the subject of considerable discussion among church members.

“I remember the debate. But over the years, … I have not had any involvement in that group,” Ballard said. “I’m very cautious on how I get involved.”

Gibbs, who did not immediately return a telephone message Friday, also introduced a letter from former gubernatorial candidate and state Rep. Dale Foreman, who now is state Republican Party chairman.

Gibbs said the letter described Andrews as a leader in central Washington and indicated an interest to meet with Andrews to hear his ideas on policy.

Foreman said Friday he did not remember the letter. He said he was never either friends with nor socially active with Andrews.

“I haven’t seen Mr. Andrews in probably 10 years,” Foreman said by telephone. Andrews was also affiliated with the national anti-abortion group Operation Rescue, which uses civil disobedience and confrontation in an effort to keep women from obtaining abortions.

He is credited with leading the first Operation Rescue protest in Washington state in Renton about 10 years ago, where he was arrested and convicted on a misdemeanor trespassing charge.

But state Sen. Harold Hochstatter, R-Moses Lake, who readily acknowledges his participation in Operation Rescue protests, denied knowing Andrews.

“I don’t recognize the name,” Hochstatter said. “Maybe if I saw a picture of him.”