"You Set Me Up!"

By Michael Riley

Time and time again, rumors about drug abuse had brought Washington Mayor Marion Barry to the brink of political and personal disaster. Every time, he managed to dance back from the edge. Last week Barry's lucky streak finally ended. An elaborate law-enforcement sting in a downtown hotel caught the mayor allegedly buying and smoking crack cocaine, a misdemeanor charge that could result in a one-year jail term and a $100,000 fine. It might also spell the end of Barry's political career. Said political analyst Mark Plotkin: "If Barry can recover from this episode, he really is a political Houdini."

The bust came only three days before Barry had planned to announce his candidacy for an unprecedented fourth term. At about 8 p.m. on Jan. 18, shortly after he picked the winners in a homestead auction, Barry waltzed into Room 727 of the Vista International Hotel, just six blocks from the White House. It is also only two blocks from another Washington hotel, where 13 months ago police mysteriously aborted a planned arrest of Charles Lewis, a suspected drug dealer, when they learned that Barry was in his room.

According to a source close to the investigation, Barry came to the Vista to party with two women: Rasheeda Moore, a California model and acquaintance turned federal informant, and a female FBI undercover agent. While other agents baby-sat for Moore's three children, she sold Barry $60 worth of crack cocaine supplied by the Drug Enforcement Administration. As a surveillance camera videotaped the scene, Barry allegedly tried to fondle Moore and persuade her to use crack with him. Rebuffed by Moore, Barry allegedly put the crack in a pipe and smoked it. As soon as he took a few puffs, FBI agents and Washington police made the arrest. According to a police official, Barry shrieked at Moore, "You set me up!"

The agents then disguised Barry in a wig and sunglasses and hustled him out a back door and over to the FBI Building. They fingerprinted him and administered urine and blood tests, both of which revealed evidence of cocaine use. On Friday a U.S. magistrate released Barry on his own recognizance but required him to undergo a weekly urinalysis. After his court hearing, Barry's lawyer R. Kenneth Mundy said the mayor planned to plead not guilty to the cocaine-possession charge. The mayor declined to answer questions, then vowed to "go about the business of government."

A few hours later reality seemed to sink in. After huddling with aides and advisers, Barry temporarily handed over day-to-day control of the government to City Administrator Carol Thompson, retaining only specific powers, such as the right to sign contracts with the Federal Government and to veto legislation. He postponed announcing his re-election bid.

Barry's latest scrape could be the last straw for Washington voters, whose loyalty has been sorely tested by a string of embarrassing episodes. At least twelve of his top aides have been convicted of corruption. Allegations of cocaine use began to dog Barry after he made a 1981 visit to a topless club. He claimed he was soliciting campaign contributions. Then came the rendezvous with Lewis, who subsequently pleaded guilty to drug-conspiracy charges and was sentenced to 15 months in prison. Lewis claimed Barry smoked crack with him, which Barry denied.

Through it all, Barry has repeatedly denied using drugs. At local high schools he preaches, "My mind's too sharp, my body too precious, to foul it with drugs." On the very day of his arrest, the mayor had attended a memorial service for a high school star athlete who was shot to death while walking in a drug-infested neighborhood. In 1989 drug-related mayhem contributed to an all-time city record of 437 homicides, a deadly total that could be exceeded this year. Last week, as the city suffered through its 28th murder since Jan. 1, Barry unaccountably asserted, "The war against crime and violence is succeeding."

Barry's best hope to beat the charges is to argue that the Government entrapped him by enticing him to use cocaine. U.S. Attorney Jay Stephens, however, claims the sting was "scrupulously fair" and there is evidence that Barry was "predisposed" to obtain the crack. At the very least, Barry's credibility has suffered a crippling blow that could be exploited by his political opponents. Four Democrats have already declared their candidacy. If Barry runs and gets past them, he faces a formidable challenge from Republican Maurice Turner, a popular former police chief.

And then there is Jesse Jackson, who moved to Washington last summer, touching off speculation that he would run for mayor. Jackson has again and again vowed he will not challenge Barry, an old friend who supported Jackson's two runs for the presidency. But if Barry drops out of the race, the pressure on Jackson to seek the mayoralty could be irresistible. As a result of Barry's bust, Jackson could finally win an important elected office in Washington -- to the District Building instead of the White House.

With reporting by Jerome Cramer and Elaine Shannon/Washington