Make Way for de Lawd

The "poor parish priest," as he likes to call himself, was already gloating over his anticipated new riches. "I'll be the first clergyman in the history of the world to get a gold platter," exulted ostracized Congressman Adam Clayton Powell last week on the Bahamian isle of North Bimini. That hardly amounted to the "fantastic" disclosure promised for his first press conference since Congress last month decided not to seat him pending an investigation of his free-wheeling way with public funds. But then Powell never before had made a hot-selling record. According to Jubilee Records, 1,300,000 orders have already been received for Powell's cloying disk, Keep the Faith, Baby. The star, crowing over receipts of 280 for every $4.79 record sold, understandably could hardly talk about anything else.

He went so far, in fact, as to offer $33,000 to Harlem Widow Esther James in an effort to clear up his worsening New York court problems, stemming from 1) his conviction in 1963 for libeling her, 2) his refusal to pay the original appeal court judgment of $46,500, and 3) his contempt sentences of 16 months in jail and at least $164,000 in additional damages. The Harlem Democrat also made thinly veiled threats to tattle on his "beloved" fellow Congressmen. But it was only after the press conference that Powell did indeed make a fantastic disclosure. He is thinking of running for President.

Likely Witness. "The 1968 campaign pivots on me," said Powell. "There isn't anybody in the Democratic Party who can run next year who won't be in trouble unless I'm seated." But would he actually run for the presidency himself? "I'm watching the mail."

More realistically, Powell faces a tough fight to get back his congressional seat. His attorneys filed a 15-page brief with the investigating committee headed by Brooklyn Congressman Emanuel Celler, declaring that there is nothing in the U.S. Constitution that bars him from his seat. The nine-man Celler committee announced that it will begin holding formal hearings this week. Celler said he had not yet made up his mind on whether to call Powell to testify, although he thought it "most likely."

Haw-Haw-Haw. Meanwhile, Mrs. James's attorney, Raymond Rubin, scoffed at Powell's offer to settle for $33,000, declaring, "He's not showing any good faith." And, Rubin disclosed, Mrs. James is going to become a recording artist too. Her record will be called No Man Is Above de Lawd, and will include one song with the pointed lyric:

There was once a man who said that he Would like to retire to Bimini,

But that was before he broke the law,

And now the people are going haw-haw-haw.

Not to be outdone, Powell has plans for three more records. They will be called, he said, And Spread the Faith Gently, Baby; Walk Together, Children; and The Swinging Jesus. Clearly, there is a whole new career awaiting Parson Powell.

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