December 12, 1990

President Bush decided today to reappoint Robert L. Clarke as the nation's top regulator of nationally chartered banks, taking the advice of Treasury Secretary Nicholas F. Brady over the objection of the White House chief of staff, John H. Sununu. The nomination of Mr. Clarke as Comptroller of the Currency had been recommended weeks ago by Mr. Brady. It had been considered a foregone conclusion, especially since the office is a division of the Treasury Department, until Mr. Sununu stepped in earlier this month. He raised concerns that tough regulation of the banking community was contributing to the current credit crunch, reflecting views he had heard from bankers in New England.

The top bank regulator said the Federal fund that insures deposits would probably lose $4 billion or more this year. Less than three months ago, L. William Seidman had predicted a loss of $3 billion, an upward revision itself only a few months old. Business Day, page D1.

Allen Alvord, who is deaf, was standing by the pay phones in the student center at Gallaudet University, his hands moving like miniature semaphores. "This is great," he told a visitor, his thumb pressed against his chest, fingers flying in the sign for unalloyed admiration. "I can call my mom, get information, arrange for car repairs. Or," he added gesturing to his friend and fellow student, Jason Shaw, "make hotel reservations."

John Gotti, the man whom law-enforcement authorities have failed three times to convict, was arrested last night on Federal racketeering charges. Mr. Gotti was taken into custody about 7 P.M. in his main meeting place in Manhattan, the Ravenite Social Club in Little Italy, by about 15 agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and detectives of the New York City Police Department,

President Bush has decided to push for a constitutional amendment to limit the number of terms for members of Congress, his chief of staff, John H. Sununu, said today. Doing so as he prepares for his re-election campaign will put Mr. Bush squarely and publicly on the side of an idea that is as widely popular among voters as it is wildly unpopular among members of Congress, including many Republican lawmakers. And state lawmakers are not enamored of the idea either.