DATE=7/15/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-235498
TITLE=CLINTON SCANDAL / RENO (L)
BYLINE=JIM MALONE
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: ATTORNEY GENERAL JANET RENO IS DEFENDING HER REFUSAL TO
APPOINT A SPECIAL PROSECUTOR TO HEAD UP THE INVESTIGATION INTO
ALLEGED CAMPAIGN FUNDRAISING VIOLATIONS BY DEMOCRATS DURING THE
1996 PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN. THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OFFERED HER
DEFENSE DURING A LENGTHY APPEARANCE BEFORE A SENATE COMMITTEE
WEDNESDAY, AND NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT JIM MALONE HAS DETAILS.
TEXT: REPUBLICANS ON THE SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE HAD PLENTY
OF QUESTIONS FOR JANET RENO, ALONG WITH SOME PRETTY STRONG
CRITICISMS.
REPUBLICANS PRESSED HER AS TO WHY SHE STILL HAS NOT SOUGHT THE
APPOINTMENT OF AN INDEPENDENT COUNSEL TO PROBE THE CAMPAIGN
FINANCE CONTROVERSY. SENATOR ARLEN SPECTER (REPUBLICAN,
PENNSYLVANIA) SAYS THE ONGOING JUSTICE DEPARTMENT PROBE OF
POSSIBLE CAMPAIGN FINANCE VIOLATIONS DURING THE 1996 PRESIDENTIAL
CAMPAIGN IS SIMPLY NOT GOOD ENOUGH.
/// SPECTER ACT. ///
THAT, WHERE YOU HAVE PROSECUTORS TALKING ABOUT PLEA
BARGAINS, SEEKING TO GET INFORMATION WHICH MAY IMPLICATE
COVERED PEOPLE (HIGH GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS COVERED BY THE
INDEPENDENT COUNSEL LAW), PERSONAL FRIENDS OF THE
PRESIDENT, AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN. HOW CAN THERE BE
CONFIDENCE THAT THE PROSECUTORS ARE DOING THE JOB WHEN
THERE IS NO INDEPENDENT COUNSEL?
/// END ACT. ///
BUT AS SHE HAS IN THE PAST, ATTORNEY GENERAL RENO SAID SHE WOULD
HAVE NO HESITATION IN SEEKING THE APPOINTMENT OF A SPECIAL
PROSECUTOR. BUT SHE SAYS BEFORE THAT CAN HAPPEN SHE WOULD HAVE
TO BE PRESENTED WITH EVIDENCE THAT HIGH GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS MAY
HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN CRIMINAL WRONGDOING.
/// RENO ACT. ///
IN THIS INSTANCE, IF I FIND ANY EVIDENCE THAT IS
SPECIFIC AND CREDIBLE OF A COVERED PERSON THAT THEY MAY
HAVE COMMITTED A CRIME, I HAVE SAID BEFORE AND I WILL
SAY AGAIN THAT I WILL TRIGGER THE ACT (AND APPOINT AN
INDEPENDENT COUNSEL). BUT I CANNOT DO IT BASED ON A
CHART THAT IS A SCHEMATIC (DIAGRAM) AND DOES NOT HAVE
THE FACTS AND THE EVIDENCE THAT I AM OPERATING ON.
/// END ACT. ///
REPUBLICANS ALSO CRITICIZED MS. RENO FOR NOT COMING TO THE
DEFENSE OF INDEPENDENT COUNSEL KENNETH STARR, WHO HAS BEEN
BLASTED BY DEMOCRATS FOR -- WHAT THEY SAY IS -- A PARTISAN
VENDETTA AGAINST THE PRESIDENT CLINTON.
THE REPUBLICAN CHAIRMAN OF THE SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE, ORRIN
HATCH (UTAH), ALSO QUESTIONED THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S DECISION TO
SUPPORT THE SECRET SERVICE IN ITS APPEAL OF A COURT RULING
REQUIRING SOME OF THOSE WHO GUARD THE PRESIDENT TO TESTIFY IN THE
STARR INVESTIGATION INVOLVING FORMER WHITE HOUSE INTERN MONICA
LEWINSKY.
MR. STARR HAS REQUESTED SEVEN ADDITIONAL SECRET AGENTS APPEAR FOR
TESTIMONY BEFORE THE GRAND JURY PROBING ALLEGATIONS OF A
PRESIDENTIAL AFFAIR AND COVERUP INVOLVING MS. LEWINSKY. THE
SEVEN INCLUDE THE HEAD OF THE PRESIDENT'S SECURITY DETAIL.
THE ADDITIONAL SUBPOENAS FOR THE SECRET SERVICE AGENTS PROMPTED
AN ANGRY RESPONSE FROM THE WHITE HOUSE WEDNESDAY. PRESIDENTIAL
SPOKESMAN MIKE MCCURRY DESCRIBED MR. STARR AS AN OVER-ZEALOUS
PROSECUTOR TRYING TO GET SECRET SERVICE BODYGUARDS TO BETRAY THE
PRESIDENT'S TRUST. (SIGNED)
NEB/JBM/RAE
15-Jul-98 1:00 PM EDT (1700 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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