LITTLE ROCK — Three of Betsey Wright's former co-workers from her days as Bill Clinton's gubernatorial chief of staff are raising money for her legal defense.
Bobby Roberts, who was a legislative and public safety liaison for Bill Clinton, on Aug. 30 sent a letter to about 400 former Clinton staff members and campaign workers, asking them to contribute to a defense fund established in her name. The letter was signed by Roberts as well as Little Rock attorneys Nate Coulter and Heather Miles, who served on Clinton's staff when he was governor.
"Our friend Betsey is in trouble and we want you to help with her defense expenses," the letter says.
"She's got a lot of friends and a lot of people worried about her," said Roberts, now the director of the Central Arkansas Library System. "We just want to make sure she has a fair trial, and it takes moneyto do that."
Wright, 66, is accused of trying to smuggle a box cutter, knife, tweezers and 48 tattoo needles into the Varner Supermax Unit in Lincoln County on May 22. She was charged Aug. 12 with 51 felony counts of attempting to furnish prohibited articles in a correctional institution.
Roberts declined to say how much money has been received in donations but said "we'll have enough money, I think, to make sure she has a proper defense."
Roberts said he doesn't know any details of the case other than news accounts.He said he has spoken with Wright a couple of times and "she's a lot more calm about it than I would be."
Her attorney, Jeff Rosenzweig of Little Rock, said any money raised will pay investigative expenses. He declined to say how much he is charging.
"I'm not going to get wealthy off it," he said.
Northwest Arkansas, Pages 18 on 09/26/2009