[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 61 (Thursday, May 14, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E864]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      IN SUPPORT OF ALEXIS HERMAN

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                         HON. EARL F. HILLIARD

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 14, 1998

  Mr. HILLIARD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my friend, and 
our Labor Secretary, Ms. Alexis Herman. From what I have read, I do not 
believe that there exists any sound evidence that she was involved in 
any illegal acts. The charges are frivolous and unsubstantiated. And, 
for the life of me, I cannot understand what continues to possess the 
Attorney General to appoint Independent Counsels to investigate overtly 
partisan and unsubstantiated hearsay.
  Even officials at the United States Department of Justice, in their 
memo to the three Judge panel overseeing this process, stated that no 
tangible evidence exists which proves that Secretary Herman was 
involved in anything even remotely illegal.
  Mr. Speaker, I am deeply troubled at this wanton spirit of 
unwarranted prosecution, and at the Justice Department's willingness to 
appoint Independent Counsels to investigate unsubstantiated rumors.
  Since the beginning of the Clinton administration, these so-called 
Special Prosecutors have cost the American taxpayers a fortune, yet; 
not one of the principals investigated, has yet to be convicted of any 
crime.
  The costs of the investigations of the present administration total 
over $51 million, with no apparent end in sight. The examples of these 
politically inspired investigations include: $29 million and still 
counting for Ken Starr's investigations; $14 million for Donald 
Smaltz's investigations; $5.4 million for David Barrett's; $3.2 million 
for Daniel Pearson's; and $244,000 for Curtis von Kann's investigation.
  It seems as though the leadership at the Justice Department is like a 
willow which blows in the wind, allowing it to bend to the desires of 
the current rumor-of-the-day.
  All I can say is, shame on you Madame Attorney General, for allowing 
yourself to be influenced, at the eleventh hour, by unwarranted, last 
minute, right-wing, rumor-mongering. This is political folly at its 
very worse, and it is costing the country a great deal of money, and a 
larger amount of credibility.

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