Harrison County Judge Wayne McWhorter said he has written a letter to Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, and U.S. Representative Louie Gohmert, R-Tyler, supporting the transfer of some Longhorn Army Ammunition Plant acreage to the county, to be used for industrial development.

Two other commissioners have said they also wrote Hutchison's office to support the land transfer, as has Marshall Economic Development Corporation Director Lou Ann Nisbett.

In an added development, a spokesman for Representative Louie Gohmert said Friday the congressman is "working hand in hand" with Senator Hutchison to transfer some Longhorn land to the county for economic development.

McWhorter said he wrote after Sen. Hutchison's office contacted him, about three weeks ago, and asked what local officials would do to document their support for the proposed industrial zone.

McWhorter said he did not announce his support for the proposed land transfer until questioned by a reporter because he believed his support would be revealed during a possible (future) public hearing about the issue.

"I wasn't trying to hide anything," he said.