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)
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Source: Voice of America