The Nation - News from April 1, 1988

After hours of back-room negotiations, the Arizona Senate let stand its dismissal of the third and strongest impeachment charge against Gov. Evan Mecham. The decision not to reinstate the charge cleared the way for final arguments Monday on two other counts against the first-term Republican. Senators could vote Monday or Tuesday on whether he should be removed from office. On Wednesday, the Senate decided 16 to 12 to dismiss a charge that Mecham concealed a $350,000 campaign loan and to vote to convict or acquit on two other charges--that he tried to obstruct an investigation of an alleged death threat by a staff member and that he misused $80,000 from a protocol fund.