Hudson Foods defense may wrap up testimony By Jake Bleed Senior staff writer Defense attorneys for Hudson Foods and one of its employees, both charged with lying to government investigators after the nation’s laigesl recall of E. coli-tainted meat, said they may conclude testimony and closing arguments today. The lawsuit against Hudson Foods and the company’s former quality con trol director, Michael Gregory, alleges Gregory and the company lied to gov ernment investigators after 25 million pounds of bad beef were recalled in 1997. The charges allege Hudson Foods and Gregory lied about the amount ol beef affected by E. coli to limit the scope of the recall. More than a dozen people in Colorado became ill after eat ing E. cOli-tainted meat from Hudson Foods. Charges against another former Hudson employee, Brent Wolke, were dropped Tuesday after U.S. District Judge Warren K. Urbom decided the evidence presented by the government against Wolke was not enough to sup port the charges. He also dismissed a charge of con spiracy to lie against both Wolke and Gregory. Gregory still faces a charge of lying to government investigators. The charges were dismissed Tuesday after the government finished presenting its case against Hudson Foods, Wolke and Gregory, including the testimony of more than a dozen wit nesses. • The defense, which started its case Wednesday, called two witnesses and asked Urbom to consider declaring the case a mistrial. Defense attorneys based tiie motion on the difficulty of continu ing without charges against Wolke. Urbom said he would wait to make a decision on the motion, adding that he wanted to consider whether the case should be dismissed without the possi bility for retrial. Uibom said he would make his decision as soon as possible. Defense attorney Ty Cobb criticized the government’s handling of the case, saying the conspiracy charge was intro duced only to allow otherwise inadmis sible-information into the trial. “I have no respect for the way this case originated and was handled,” Cobb said. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jan Sharp, the government’s lead prosecutor, said he disagreed with Cobb’s comments, calling them inflammatory. The Columbus-based Hudson plant was shut down after the beef recall. It was later sold to IBP Inc.v which reopened it. Wolke still works at the plant. Gregory currently works for Tyson Foods. Kerrey, Stenberg ready for race ■ Kerrey will have to appeal to Republicans to win, and Stenberg will appeal to voters’ values, say respective spokeswomen. By Josh Knaub Staff writer Although the primaries don’t take place until May, Democrat Bob Kerrey and Republican Don Stenberg are gearing up to face each other in the race fot Kerrey ’s Senate seat. Kerrey has no announced oppo nents for die primary. And while Stenberg must best other Republicans hoping to face Kerrey in the November election, he and his campaign staff are talking about how to beat Kerrey. Lincoln doctor Elliott Rustad has announced he will oppose Stenberg for the Republican nomination. Mary Beth Heaverin of Omaha is also run ning. But Kerrey, the two-term senator, is positioning himself to face Stenberg, the three-term attorney gen eral, in November. Christine Vanderford, a Stenberg campaign spokeswoman, said Stenberg had remained focused on a race with Kerrey since Stenberg announced he would run for Senate in January. “We have not changed our strate gy,” she said. Vanderford said Stenberg would appeal to Nebraska’s Republicans, who outnumber Nebraska’s Democrats by 130,000 in terms of registered voters. She predicted Stenberg would ride the coattails of the Republican presi dential nominee. " Nebraska voters traditionally give overwhelming support to Republican - presidential candidates. Vanderford said a Kerrey cam paign mailing cited the Republican advantage in numbers as a concern. Devorah Lanner, a spokeswoman for the Nebraska Democratic Party, said she expected Kerrey to defeat Stenberg in the general election. “I fully anticipate that Bob Kerrey will be elected by a wide margin,” she said. She said Kerrey would have to continue to appeal to the state’s Republicans to win the election. Lanner said though Nebraska’s voters usually overwhelmingly choose Republican presidential can didates, Kerrey’s name recognition and relationships with Nebraska vot ers would allow him to carry the elec tion. “Kerrey’s name will be right after the presidential candidates on the bal lot,” Lanner said. “In a large part, Kerrey and the presidential con tenders will be the top names that draw people to the polls.” Vanderford said Stenberg planned to beat Kerrey by appealing to Nebraska voters’ values. “Don Stenberg represents Nebraska values,” She said. “Bob Kerrey represents Hollywood values.” Lanner said Kerrey must have a clear message to win. “A candidate needs a strong mes sage, a compelling message, that appeals to Republicans and Democrats,” she said. g C^weer Services Snapshot H ...see what’s developing next week in Career Services Q |% Jp|> r.W* can h*l* D P HELP SESSIONS I El 5:15 pm Tuesdays U ufCQ 3:30 pm Thursdays H CxUl^MlcI Student Employment & Internship Center H (SEIC) — 345 NE Union -472-3145 □ 230N^mon^316Eas^amp^Un8oti||| ■ ■ .. .—--- ... - - ■ Your brain sends billions Of niCSSH! 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