Former Arkansas governor Jim Guy Tucker escaped a prison term and was sentenced to four years' probation early today for fraud related to the Whitewater affair that also involved a former business partner of President Clinton.
Judge George Howard indicated the comparatively lenient sentence was given because of Tucker's ill health. In addition to the suspended sentence, Tucker was fined $25,000 and ordered to pay $150,000 to the US Small Business Administration, which lost money in a transaction in which he was involved.
Earlier, the sentencing of James McDougal, a former Clinton business partner, was postponed until November 18th. McDougal's former wife, Susan McDougal, is due to be sentenced today.