American Notes WASHINGTON

Sporting a cowboy hat and his trademark Mickey Mouse tie, Ronald Reagan's onetime political guru Lyn Nofziger strode into federal district court last week to become the first person to stand trial for violating the 1978 Ethics in Government Act. Nofziger, who resigned as a White House aide in January 1982, is accused of illegally lobbying the Administration on behalf of three clients, including the scandal-plagued Wedtech Corp.

Although he faces a possible two-year sentence and $10,000 fine on each of four charges, he betrayed little concern. "I am innocent of anything," Nofziger declared, "and so I assume that a jury, being a typical fair American jury, will find that to be the case."