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Date: Thu, 04 Dec 1997 05:17:27 -0800
To: (Recipient list suppressed)
From: Paul Andrew Mitchell [address in tool bar]
Subject: SLS: Rep. Burton on Reno's statement (fwd)

<snip>
>
>STATEMENT BY CHAIRMAN DAN BURTON ON AG'S DECISION ON INDEPENDENT COUNSEL
>
>U.S. House Government Reform and Oversight Committee
>December 2, 1997 For Immediate Release CHAIRMAN DAN BURTON 
>
>Government Reform and Oversight Committee 
>
>NEWS RELEASE 
>
>------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
>December 2, 1997 For Immediate Release 
>
>Contact: Ashley Williams 202-225-5074 
>
>STATEMENT BY CHAIRMAN DAN BURTON ON AG'S DECISION ON INDEPENDENT COUNSEL 
>
>Indianapolis, IN --- Congressman Dan Burton (R-IN), Chairman of the
>House Government Reform and Oversight Committee, issued a stern response
>to Attorney General Janet Reno's decision not to seek an independent
>counsel in the illegal foreign fundraising controversy swirling around
>the White House and the Democratic National Committee. Chairman Burton
>announced that he will ask both Attorney General Reno and FBI Director
>Louis Freeh to testify before his committee next week. 
>
>It has been widely reported that Freeh has weighed in vigorously within
>the Justice Department in support of an independent counsel. He
>reportedly sent Reno a lengthy memo over a week ago advocating an
>appointment of an independent counsel because of conflicts of interest
>within the Justice Department. 
>
>"Once again, the Attorney General had the opportunity to do the right
>thing. Once again, she has failed. I am absolutely flabbergasted. 
>
>"The American people have no confidence in this Justice Department to
>conduct an impartial investigation of the President and his closest
>advisors. The Attorney General serves at the pleasure of the President.
>She can not do a credible job investigating her boss, his top aides, and
>his top fundraisers. This investigation must be conducted by an
>independent counsel, who has no axe to grind, or the public will always
>remain suspicious of the results. 
>
>"The Independent Counsel Act specifically authorizes the Attorney
>General to seek an independent counsel when the Justice Department has a
>personal, financial, or political conflict of interest.' It should be
>obvious to anyone that Janet Reno has a serious conflict of interest in
>investigating the Clinton White House. The Attorney General has
>disregarded the good advice given to her by FBI Director Freeh. She has
>focused on a very narrow and shallow issue and ignored the larger
>conflicts of interest that have plagued this Justice Department
>investigation. 
>
>"In 1986, when the Iran-Contra story was breaking, Attorney General Ed
>Meese sought the appointment of an independent counsel within a month.
>At the time, Meese said that this was in the public interest.' President
>Reagan publicly called on him to do so. It has been fourteen months
>since this foreign fundraising scandal became public, and the Attorney
>General is still resisting appointing an independent counsel. President
>Clinton's silence speaks volumes about his position. 
>
>During her confirmation hearings in 1993, Reno said, "The reason that I
>support the concept of an independent counsel with statutory
>independence is that there is an inherent conflict whenever senior
>Executive Branch officials are to be investigated by the Department and
>its appointed head, the Attorney General." 
>
>Burton said, "In 1993, Janet Reno said that an independent counsel was
>necessary to investigate high-level officials. Now she has reversed
>herself. It makes it appear as though she is protecting the President." 
>
>"The Justice Department task force has moved very slowly. After more
>than a year, the Justice Department has few accomplishments to point to.
>We have received reports that they have not even attempted to interview
>John Huang, and he is one of the central figures in this scandal. 
>
>"The question is -- will the American people have confidence that no
>cover-up is going on? As a result of today's announcement, the answer
>remains no.' 
>
>Following the Attorney General's announcement, Chairman Burton faxed
>letters to both Attorney General C and Director Freeh seeking their
>testimony before the Government Reform and Oversight Committee next
>week, Tuesday, December 9. 
>
>### 
>
>http://www.house.gov/reform/ 
>
<snip>

===========================================================================
Paul Andrew Mitchell, Sui Juris      : Counselor at Law, federal witness 01
B.A.: Political Science, UCLA;   M.S.: Public Administration, U.C.Irvine 02
tel:     (520) 320-1514: machine; fax: (520) 320-1256: 24-hour/day-night 03
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website: http://supremelaw.com       : visit the Supreme Law Library now 05
ship to: c/o 2509 N. Campbell, #1776 : this is free speech,  at its best 06
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_____________________________________: Law is authority in written words 09
As agents of the Most High, we came here to establish justice.  We shall 10
not leave, until our mission is accomplished and justice reigns eternal. 11
======================================================================== 12
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