Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-08-02
Aide to Senator Kennedy
Is Wife of Figure in Probe
BY Confessional Quarterly

, Mrs. Sylvia Nemer, serving as
co-ordinator of the Oregon
campaign of Senator Kennedy,
is the wife of a man who told
the Senate Rackets Committee
in 1857 that he was involved in
a Teamster- dominated plan to
monopolize Portland (Oreg)
/, punchboard operations.
Senator Kennedy, Democrat
Of Massachusetts,, is a member
of the committee and his
brother, Robert F. Kennedy, is
its chief counsel.
Norman B. Nemer of Portland
testified by affidavit in 1857
that he Joined the Teamsters
Union in 1855 as part of plan
concocted by racketeers to gain
a monopoly on punchboard dis
tribution in Portland.
The scheme, which a witness
said was expected to bring in
100000 a year, never was put
into effect.
Kennedy Is Silent
Senator Kennedy, who was
present at the hearing when
Mr.. Nemer's affldavit was read.
declined last week to answer
questions about the matter. He
promised a formal statement
on the subject, but none was
issued.
Instead. Senator Kennedy's
Office released a statement from
Mrs. Nemer, co-ordinator of
senator Kennedy's unan-
nounced presidential campaign
in Oregon.
She said: Senator Kennedy
has never even met my husband
and I sincerely regret that
these old stories have been
resurrected in an attempt to
embarrass him through me-"
Mrs. Nemer, who handled ar
rangements for Senator Ken
nedy's visit to Oregon this
week end and met him on his
arrival in Portland yesterday.
told Congressional quarterly she
had never discussed her hus-
bands role in the rackets inves-
tigation with the Senator.
She confirmed that she had
met Senator Kennedy in Seat
tie last June 81 at Senator
Kennedy's invitation and ac-
cepted his offer to become CO.
ordinator of his oregon cam
paign.
But she denied published re-
ports that she had previously
agreed to take similar role in
the Oregon organization of
Senator Kennedy's presidential
rival. Senator Humphrey,
Democrat of Minnesota.
Turned Down Humphrey
In her statement relea sed
through Senator Kennedy's
office, Mrs. Nemer said: "As a.
longtime Democrat. who served
as cochairman of the Steven
son campaign in 1856. I believe
in Senator Kennedy's election !
in 1960-which is why I turned t
down Senator Humuhrev's re-
quest that I work for him"
Senator Humphreys Office
said the Minnesota Senator {
would have no comment. c
The story of Mr.. Nemer's
part in the never completed 4
scheme to monopolize Portland i
punchhoard operations was {
given to the Rackets Commit Q
tee February 81. 1857, in an r
affidavit from Mr.. Nemer him. i
self and testimony from James :
B. (Big JIM Elkins. the Port /
land gambler who was the I
committees star witness. 6
The testimony showed that
in February. 1855. Mr.. Elkins
took Mr.. Nemer to Portland ..
hotel to meet Tom Maloney
and Joe Mclaughlin. Seattle ;;
gamblers who Robert Kennedy
said "came down to Portland
and with the help of other
CTeamster) union officials
were going to organize the vice
in the city"
Mr.. Elkins said he knew Mr.. g.,
Nemer as a man who had
been prominent" in Portland
punchboard and pinball opera
tons prior to the time they {
had been made illegal. i
According to Mr.. Nemer's af-