Week of February 1, 1980

The FBI is questioning 8 congressmen

over payoffs to help win favors for an

Arab Sheik - a fictitious Arab Sheik. It’s

one of the most sweeping investigations

of official corruption ever initiated by the

government. The “Sheik” was offering

large cash payments in return for

promises of official help in setting up

business investments and in helping him

obtain political asylum. The congressmen

are -

Sen. Harrison Williams (D-NJ) and Reps John Murphy (D-MY, Richard Kelly (R-

Fl), John Murtha (D-PA, Frank Thompson (D-NJ), Michael O. Myers (D-PA) Ray

Lederer (D-PA and John Jenrette (D-SC). (This would be called Abscam.)

Substitute? - President Carter says he is “determined in principle” that those

athletes who do not go to the Olympics in Moscow this summer “will have an

opportunity to participate this year in international games of the highest quality.”

37 convicts are dead after rioting at the New Mexico state penitentiary. Toll could

rise as the facility is searched. Inmates later say that a seven-man execution

squad rampaged through the prison during the takeover using blowtorches, metal

rods and axes to torture and kill fellow prisoners. The State Department,

concerned about the fate of the 50 hostages, adopts a policy of secrecy

regarding the six Americans who escaped from Tehran last weekend with the aid

of the Canadian Embassy. They had been hidden by the Canadians since the

seizure of the U.S Embassy on November 4.

Iranian President Abol-Hassan Bani-Sadr denounces the militant students

holding the U.S. Embassy hostages as “dictators who have created a

government within a government.”

Muhammad Ali cut short an exhibition tour of India

after President Carter asked him to visit African

countries “as soon as possible” to help gather support

for a boycott of the Olympic Games in Moscow this

summer.

Chrysler Corp. lost $1,097 billion last year, the largest

company operating loss in the nation’s history. The

firm is struggling to avoid bankruptcy with the help of

Week of February 1, 1980

a union contract that granted it millions in concessions, and federal loan

guarantees.

Stung by criticism of his mission to urge a Moscow Olympics boycott,

Muhammad Ali accuses President Carter of “sending me around the world to

take the ripping” from black Africans opposed to U.S. dealings with South Africa.

But later…

65 Cubans step onto U.S. soil after a daring nighttime escape from their

homeland in a leaking, slow-moving barge which they hijacked at gunpoint.

Muhammad Ali in Kenya - The champ smoothed over his misunderstanding with

President Carter about U.S. foreign policy, tried to get in a fist fight with a lion but

couldn’t find one, then added luster to his African mission my meeting with the

president of Kenya.

Speaker Thomas (Tip) O’Neil says he has urged

President Carter not to recommend draft registration of

women and that there is no chance the House would

approve it. O’Neil said there is a “strong feeling” in the

House that draft registration of men should be re-

instituted, but not of women.

The Soviet Union’s national airline will help transport

athletes from poor Latin countries to the Olympic

Games in Moscow, in an apparent attempt to counter

the U.S.-sponsored boycotts of the games.

A large rise in worker layoffs pushes the nation’s

unemployment rate to an 18-month high of 6.2%.

Sports -

The East wins the NBA All-Star game in overtime - 144-136. George Gervin,

who scored a game-high 34 points, is voted MVP.

Makes history - New York Rangers star Phil Esposito

(38) scores his 700 th career goal. Hockey great Gordie

Howe (40), who is about to rap-up his career, now has

797.

Jesse Owens, who won four gold medals in the 1936

Olympics in Germany, says he opposes President

Week of February 1, 1980

Carter’s proposal to stay away from the Moscow Games. “To me, it’s not right in

the eyes of god or the soul of man,” said Owens.

Music news -

K.C. (of the Sunshine Band) says

there are possible reasons for

disco’s current slump. “I think they

got carried away with all those eight-

minute songs. After a while you

couldn’t tell one from the other. You

get in your car and all you hear is

one record for eight minutes. I like to

hear two or three. Things got out of

control with all those extended

versions.” K.C. may be changing too.

He’s had two major hit ballads -

“Don’t Go” and “Yes I’m Ready” with Teri Desario.

Phil Spector is back and producing the rock band - The Ramones. Look for the

Spector-produced album “End of the Century” on Sire Records.

Television news -

NBC says it will add a talk-

variety show, this time in the

morning! Comedian David

Letterman, who has guest

hosted the “Tonight” show is

being considered as the

host. The show will feature

a band, studio audience,

guest stars and informal

news updates.

On PBS