INDICTMENTS ARE CULMINATION OF GRIFFIN'S FREE-WHEELING STYLE

This year, Halloween came five days before the Nov. 5 general election and brought with it the long-anticipated indictment of a former speaker of the Missouri House of Representatives. Former Rep. Bob Griffin, at 15 years the longest-serving speaker in Missouri history, resigned from the House early this year after it became widely known that he was the subject of a federal grand jury investigation into alleged criminal acts.

The 24-month probe ended last month with Griffin's being charged, along with three associates, in a 26-count indictment. Griffin faces nine felony charges: six counts of bribery, two counts of mail fraud and a single count of racketeering. The others charged, all Griffin friends and associates, are Michael Fisher, a Kansas City labor leader; Cathryn Simmons, a consultant and political fund raiser; and Steven Hurst, a Jefferson City lobbyist.

These sad charges amount to a straightforward, if complex, case of influence-peddling, bribery and kickbacks to a high-ranking public officeholder. The indictment alleged that Griffin, a Cameron Democrat, used his position to obtain political consulting or lobbying contracts for Simmons in return for kickbacks. Fisher is among those who supposedly shared in the profits with Simmons. Fisher is accused of using his position with organized labor to get contracts with Simmons' companies, while Hurst is accused of acting as liaison between Griffin and Simmons.

"Somebody lied to the grand jury," Griffin said in response to facing criminal charges, adding that he will fight to clear his name. An indictment, it must be noted, is far from a conviction of any crime. It must be emphasized that the indictment is nothing more than a series of allegations, and that Griffin enjoys the indispensable presumption of innocence. He and his co-defendants will get their days in court.

Prior to the current speaker, the respected Rep. Steve Gaw of Moberly, these charges mean that two of the last three speakers of the Missouri House have been formally charged in federal indictments with criminal acts. The other speaker, former Rep. Richard Rabbitt of St. Louis, was convicted of multiple felonies and sent to a federal penitentiary.

For years, rumors have circulated in the halls of the state capitol about what might charitably be called Griffin's free-wheeling style of leadership. Griffin's 15 years of nearly unchecked power have now borne this bitter fruit and yielded the grim and enormously expensive ordeal he will face as he fights off the government's attempt to put him in prison. Guilty or innocent, Griffin's tenure and style long ago became a compelling argument for term limits for those in House and Senate leadership positions. The people of Missouri, who in response to rising frustration approved term limits on all their lawmakers by a 73 percent supermajority in 1992, deserved far, far better than this.