WILDER CONTEMPLATES SUING ROBB OVER TAPE

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, February 2, 1993                   TAG: 9302020192
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Medium
WILDER CONTEMPLATES SUING ROBB OVER TAPE
Gov. Douglas Wilder says he's undecided about whether to file suit over the political eavesdropping that resulted in a federal grand jury investigation of Sen. Charles Robb.
Wilder said some of his friends have encouraged him to sue Robb, a fellow Democrat, in the illegal taping and disclosure of a cellular telephone conversation between Wilder and a political supporter.
"I have been asked to look into [a possible lawsuit] by people who feel that I have been aggrieved," said Wilder, who was attending the annual winter meeting of the National Governors' Association.
Federal law permits victims of such crimes to sue to recover actual damages or up to $10,000, whichever is greater.
Peggy Wilhide, Robb's press secretary, declined to comment Monday on a possible Wilder lawsuit. "We don't want to comment on any speculation," she said.
A federal grand jury spent 18 months investigating the recording of the 1988 conversation. The tape found its way to Robb's office.
In the tape, Wilder, who was then lieutenant governor, told the supporter that Robb's political career was in jeopardy because of allegations that he attended parties where drugs were used and that Robb had extramarital affairs.
Robb has denied the allegations.
A transcript of the tape was later leaked to several reporters by Robb staffers as the feud between the state's top two Democrats escalated.
A Robb staffer destroyed the tape after learning state police were investigating the taping. Three Robb staffers subsequently pleaded guilty to federal charges surrounding the leak of the transcript. A personal acquaintance of Robb's was indicted last month.
The grand jury declined to indict Robb, after which Wilder said the "people of Virginia will be the ultimate judge" of Robb.
A plaintiff may sue over eavesdropping and disclosure regardless of whether the defendants named had been tried for a crime, legal experts said.

by Archana Subramaniam by CNB