The Nation - News from April 19, 1988

Supreme Court Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist rejected Clarence and Michael Mitchell’s request to remain free pending appeal of their convictions in the Wedtech Corp. defense contracting scandal. A court spokeswoman said Rehnquist offered no reason for rejecting the brothers’ motion. The Supreme Court action means former Maryland state Sen. Clarence M. Mitchell III will have to report to a federal prison in Lewisburg, Pa., today. He was sentenced to a 2 1/2-year term in the Wedtech case and a consecutive two-year term for an unrelated conviction of lying to a federal grand jury. Former state Sen. Michael B. Mitchell’s 2 1/2-year term for his Wedtech conviction is scheduled to start May 19. The Mitchells were convicted Nov. 6 of accepting $50,000 to obstruct a congressional investigation of Wedtech.