[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 40 (Tuesday, April 8, 1997)]
[House]
[Pages H1292-H1293]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              NEED FOR APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT COUNSEL

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 21, 1997, the gentleman from Indiana [Mr. Buyer] is recognized 
during morning hour debates for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BUYER. Mr. Speaker, I come to the House floor; I do not come here 
often, but I come with very deep concern. A majority of the majority 
party Members of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on the 
Judiciary sent a letter to the U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno. The 
letter that we sent was pursuant to section 592(g) of title 28, United 
States Code, that she apply for the appointment of an independent 
counsel to investigate the following matters:

                              {time}  1245

  The illegal contributions to the Democratic National Committee in 
connection with the 1996 elections.
  No. 2, the attempted influence of the 1996 elections by foreign 
countries, foreign corporations, or persons representing such entities; 
and, No. 3, the improper fundraising conduct or practices by 
administration officials, the

[[Page H1293]]

Democratic National Committee, or individuals working on behalf of the 
committee in connection with the 1996 elections.
  We believe that section 591(c) of the Independent Counsel Act 
necessitates that Attorney General Janet Reno seek the appointment of 
independent counsel in reference to the matters which I just listed. 
Accordingly, per section 591(c), the Attorney General has been 
authorized to initiate the preliminary investigation which is defined 
by the act and is distinct from the Department's current investigations 
into the matters.
  We also believe that it is very clear that the matters referred to 
are an obvious political conflict of interest for the Attorney General 
and other political appointees within the Department of Justice.
  I am well aware that she has held at bay those of us who have been 
asking for the appointment of special counsel by saying that there is 
not sufficient credible evidence. I am not so certain how much more 
credible evidence she needs.
  Often the Washington Post it seems gets cited here on the House 
floor, not by Republicans but by Democrats on the House floor, and here 
we have now Bob Woodward, who gained national attention with regard to 
President Nixon some years ago, is now talking about allegations that 
the White House supplied top secret intelligence information to the 
Democratic National Committee to keep a Latvian businessman with 
alleged ties to organized crime, international crime, from attending a 
$25,000 fundraiser with President Clinton.
  Mr. Speaker, I do not believe anyone in this country has a problem 
with the National Security Agency advising the President with regard to 
an individual, whether they should or should not be at a Presidential 
dinner. It is part of their job. What is distressing, though, is when 
the National Security Agency leaks top secret, classified information 
to political operatives, that being that our intelligence architecture 
was monitoring the international calls of this alleged organized crime 
individual and syndicate, and the fact that that intelligence was 
leaked to someone who did not have a right to know, who did not have a 
security clearance, is a breach of our security at the highest levels 
within the White House.
  Why was that done? It was information that was leaked and it was done 
under this guise, under the pressures of political fundraising. As a 
matter of fact, to quote out of this article, I guess quoting whomever 
Bob Woodward is using for his intelligence to write this article, he 
quotes a White House senior official that the information that was 
leaked was top secret and it further demonstrates the total 
politicalization of all intelligence and White House operations, 
anything and everything was done in the name of fundraising at the 
White House.
  Mr. Speaker, the reason that the Committee on the Judiciary had asked 
for the special counsel deals with the outright admissions by the Vice 
President, Al Gore, and Ms. Margaret Williams having admitted engaging 
in fundraising activities, the propriety of which is being questioned 
by many within the White House itself. I have heard in their defense 
even the Vice President would say, well, there is no controlling legal 
authority, some kind of a lawyerly type of language that only lawyers 
can understand. But when you pull out Title XVIII of the U.S. Code it 
is very clear, and it being very clear for people that anywhere can 
understand in America, that fundraising activity is not permitted in 
Federal buildings.
  So whether it is out of my congressional office, whether it is out of 
a senatorial office, whether it is a Cabinet member or the President of 
the United States, it is wrong, and Janet Reno as the Attorney General 
of the United States, we seek your appointment with due speed.

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