[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 44 (Tuesday, April 15, 1997)]
[House]
[Pages H1506-H1507]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1215
                      INDEPENDENT COUNSEL STATUTE

  (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute, revise and extend her remarks and include 
therein extraneous material.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I too rise today to salute the 
great American Jackie Robinson and hope that we all will recognize the 
great step he made for all of us.
  It is because of that reason that I also rise to speak to the 
decision made by the of the United States of America, Janet Reno. She 
made that under cover of law and under the respect of the Independent 
Counsel Act, which first of all says that, only if there are sufficient 
allegations of criminal activity by a public person such as President, 
Vice President, Cabinet member or others, should there be an 
independent counsel appointed. And second, if there is sufficient 
evidence of criminal activity by those covered persons and there is an 
apparent conflict in the Justice Department, should the Justice 
Department not be the one to investigate.
  Clearly, Mr. Speaker, there has been no evidence of intentional 
criminal activity or criminal activity of any kind by a Cabinet member, 
President or Vice President of the United States with respect to 
campaign fundraising. There is also no question that Janet Reno and the 
Justice Department have the integrity to investigate. Stop this 
frivolity, stop following around and let us go on with the people's 
business. Let

[[Page H1507]]

the Justice Department investigate as they have been doing.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak on the request of the majority party's 
request for the Attorney General to appoint an independent counsel to 
investigate possible fundraising violations in connection with the 1996 
Presidential campaign. The Independent Counsel Act sets forth very 
clear circumstances in which an independent counsel may be appointed.
  First, if there are sufficient allegations of criminal activity of a 
covered person and if there are sufficient allegations of criminal 
activity by a person other than a covered person, and then an 
investigation or prosecution of that person by the Department of 
Justice may result in a conflict of interest, and independent counsel 
may be appointed. There must be specific and credible evidence. I urge 
my colleagues to read the statute which makes this quite clear. The 
Attorney General has already convened a task force that will 
investigate Democratic campaign fundraising. This does not call for an 
appointment of an independent counsel and the Attorney General's 
decision should be respected on this matter by all Members of Congress.

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