[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 140 (Wednesday, October 2, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1905]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 PRESIDENT INVOKING EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. GERALD B.H. SOLOMON

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, October 2, 1996

  Mr. SOLOMON. Mr. Speaker, the President is at it again. He is 
invoking executive privilege to shield from the public a memo written 
to him by FBI Director Louis J. Freeh. The memo by Freeh took the 
President to task for his shameful, do-nothing and say-nothing drug 
policy. Freeh, in what may be an understatement, criticized his boss 
for not providing any true leadership on the drug issue.
  Mr. Speaker, it is unfortunate that Director Freeh's concerns were so 
warranted. We now know that drug use has skyrocketed among teens. And 
we know where to place the blame.
  Mr. Speaker, this is not the first time our President has claimed 
executive privilege to prevent the release of embarrassing information. 
In fact, it is the fourth time. Any constitutional scholar knows that 
executive privilege was not intended to be used for policy documents 
such as this one. The simple fact of the matter is that President 
Clinton is trying to hide embarrassing information in an election year.
  Mr. Speaker, I would urge the President to abandon the disingenuous 
tactic and hand over this document to the Congress. To do otherwise, is 
to damage the integrity of the White House.

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