Pardon for North Never Considered--White House

WASHINGTON — President Reagan has never considered the idea of pardoning fired White House aide Oliver North in the event he is found guilty of wrongdoing in the Iran- contra affair, a spokesman said today.

“It’s never been addressed,” Marlin Fitzwater said when asked if Reagan had ruled out the possibility of a pardon.

“It’s not an issue, no,” he said. “We have no comment one way or the other.”

Reagan remained out of public view today, unavailable to answer questions about North’s testimony. He has not commented since North went before Congress on Tuesday.

No Reaction Yet

“We won’t have any reaction to the specifics of the testimony,” Fitzwater said. “I think it’s not only fair, it’s appropriate.”

Fitzwater said Reagan has not ruled out the possibility of commenting. “There’s no policy. Sometimes he answers questions. Sometimes he doesn’t.”

Reagan said Wednesday, “I’ve got nothing to say until the hearings are over.”

North, in his testimony, said he and his White House superiors misled Congress about covert assistance to the contras.

“No one should lie to Congress,” Fitzwater said. However, he complained to reporters that “you’re trying to get me to use language you could play against Ollie’s testimony and I don’t want to do it. . . . No one has any question about our confidence in the Congress.”

Still Confident

Fitzwater also said Reagan still has confidence in members of his Administration, whom North has said knew more than previously disclosed about secret support for the contras during a period when U.S. military aid was banned by law.

North specifically has mentioned Secretary of State George P. Shultz, Atty. Gen. Edwin Meese III, the late CIA Director William J. Casey and Assistant Secretary of State Elliott Abrams.

“They absolutely retain (Reagan’s) confidence and we’ll wait until the end of the hearings before we have any comment,” Fitzwater said.

At one point, Fitzwater appeared to say the White House now believes the diversion of funds to the contras was illegal. “The diversion of funds is the only illegality that’s been documented,” he said.

Pressed by reporters, however, Fitzwater backed away, saying, “I’m not a lawyer” and the White House was not making a judgment about the legality.