Press here to go back to HOME page

July 1994--Story 1 -- What is corrupting the Mainstream Media? Money, Power, or just Partisan Politics? EXPLOITATIVE MEDIA MUST LEARN RESPECT, FOR THE COUNTRY'S GOOD It is like a deadly monster whose appetite is out of control. It devours its prey greedily, without regard for the consequences. (MINNEAPOLIS STAR TRIBUNE, 626 words), Jul 1

July 1994--Story 2--TreasuryGATE Discussions Found Innocent-- Vince Foster Committed Suicide. FISKE WON'T BRING CHARGES OVER HIGH-LEVEL CONTACTS -- REPORT CLEARS WAY FOR HILL HEARINGS ON WHITEWATER By Susan Schmidt and Ann Devroy -- In the first report of his broad inquiry, special counsel Robert B. Fiske Jr. said yesterday he would not bring criminal charges over White House contacts with Treasury officials who were overseeing the Whitewater investigation. He also found that former White House deputy counsel Vincent W.Foster Jr. did in fact die by his own hand last summer. (WASHINGTON POST, 1,261 words ), Jul 1

WHITEWATER REPORT CLEARS CLINTON AIDES -- DISCUSSIONS WITH REGULATORS NO CRIME; INITIAL FINDINGS CONFIRM FOSTER SUICIDE -- Senior Clinton administration officials committed no crime when they discussed the investigation of an Arkansas savings and loan with federal regulators last fall, independent counsel Robert Fiske reported Thursday. Fiske also confirmed an earlier police conclusion that White House Deputy Counsel Vincent Foster committed suicide last summer and said there was no evidence that Foster's death in a northern Virginia park had anything to do with the Whitewater affair. (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS , 877 words.) Jul 1

COUNSEL FINDS NO CRIME IN S&L CONTACTS NEARLY THE SAME TEXT (KR-CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 756 words), Jul 1

WHITEWATER INVESTIGATOR CLEARS S&L DISCUSSIONS --FISKE SAYS AIDES BROKE NO LAWS TALKING TO REGULATORS -- WASHINGTON NEARLY THE SAME TEXT (KR-DETROIT FREE PRESS, 476 words), Jul 1

CLINTON OFFICIALS CLEARED IN S&L PROBE, SUICIDE NEARLY THE SAME TEXT (KR-LONG BEACH PRESS-TELEGRAM, 382 words), Jul 1

WHITE HOUSE CLEARED IN S&L CASE CONTACTS-- REPORT: SUICIDE, WHITEWATER NOT LINKED NEARLY THE SAME TEXT. (KR-MIAMI HERALD, 811 words), Jul 1

REPORT CLEARS CLINTON OFFICIALS -FISKE'S FIRST REPORT CLEARED WHITE HOUSE AIDES IN AN S&L PROBE. VINCENT FOSTER'S DEATH WAS CONFIRMED A SUICIDE. NEARLY THE SAME TEXT (KR-PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 771 words), Jul 1

FOSTER'S DEATH A SUICIDE -- REPORT ASCRIBES FATALITY TO PERSONAL COLLAPSE By David Von Drehle and Howard Schneider As depression consumed him, Vince Foster found it hard to eat, to sleep. He could not concentrate at work. His sense of humor dried up. His heart pounded and his stomach boiled. (WASHINGTON POST, 1,354 words ), Jul 1

HEADLINE: FISKE REPORT LAYS TO REST GOSSIP OF FOSTER'S MURDER NEARLY THE SAME TEXT AS THE POST STORY (KR- ST PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 1,077 words), Jul 1

July 1994--Story--3--Independent Prosecutor Law Signed by Clinton. INDEPENDENT COUNSEL LAW REAUTHORIZED President Clinton yesterday signed into law the reauthorization of the Independent Counsel Act, calling it a "foundation stone for the trust between the government and our citizens." (WASHINGTON POST, 317 words ), Jul 1

July 1994--Story--4--The GOP strategy as announced and the REAL GOP strategy -- Now it's time to get rid of Fiske! GOP strategy is clear after Fiske report - Republicans are sounding their strategy for early congressional hearings on Whitewater after special prosecutor Robert Fiske issued his first public report without filing any criminal charges. (BALTIMORE SUN, 601 words), Jul 1

July 1994--Story--5-- Meanwhile in foreign economic news. FALLING DOLLAR LANDS ON CLINTON -- WASHINGTON -- The world currency markets and the international community are holding a referendum on Bill Clinton, and he's losing. The plunge of the dollar can be attributed to many factors, understood by few, explicable by even fewer. These include the large US budget and trade deficits, the trade surplus in Japan and the closing gap between US interest rates and interest rates in Japan and Germany. (BOSTON GLOBE, 713 words), Jul 1

July 1994--Story--8-- THE MEDIA AND THE FISKE REPORT -- CRITICS SAY PRESS MADE 'RUSH TO JUDGMENT' ABOUT FOSTER SUICIDE By Howard Kurtz -- "Who killed Vincent Foster?" the Washington Times asked in a front-page story in January. "He did, according to police officials. Nevertheless, the question, phrased in just this blunt way, continues to bubble just beneath the surface... . " (WASHINGTON POST, 1,159 words ), Jul 3

July 1994--Story--9--And this guy calls himself a Republican? FRIENDLY FINANCES? Robert Fiske, the special prosecutor in the Whitewater affair, cheered up the Clinton team last week. Those meetings between White House and Treasury officials? Nothing corrupt, he concluded -- although surely, we might add, they were politically careless. (KR-AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, 92 words). Jul 3

July 1994--Story-- 10--The People may have a Sense of Fairness--the Media does not. BASHING THE CLINTONS -- ALL AMERICANS HAVE A RIGHT TO CRITICIZE, BUT THESE PERSONAL ATTACKS WILL PROBABLY BACKFIRE; MOST PEOPLE HAVE A SENSE OF FAIRNESS I am old enough to remember President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his wife, Eleanor. (KR-AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, 856 words). Jul 3

July 1994--Story--11- - Back to Other Things that Matter. THE WEEK THAT WAS: ANOTHER ROLLER-COASTER RIDE FOR CLINTON-- WASHINGTON -- It was a week for Bill Clinton to find silver linings, claim Pyrrhic victories and call his cup half full. All in all, the past seven days were typically tumultuous for his kinetic presidency. There were triumphs and losses in the fight over health care, a shakeup of the White House staff, the mystery of the swooning dollar, a sudden tide of refugees from Haiti and signs of absolution in the Whitewater affair. (BOSTON GLOBE, 716 words), Jul 3

[Para 8] In the fall of 1992, RTC investigators [L.Jean Lewis] sent a criminal referral on Madison that mentioned the Clintons to the U.S. attorney in Little Rock, at the time, a Republican appointee. No action was taken until Oct. 27, 1993, when Casey, the new U.S. attorney in Little Rock appointed by Clinton, rejected the request.

[Para 9] At the time, there was a second, more detailed RTC [L.Jean Lewis] request for a criminal investigation of Madison on Casey's desk. But Casey recused herself from considering the second request after her action on the first request was disclosed in the press.

July 1994--Story--12--And its national dissemination. WHITEWATER PROBE EXTENDING TO JUSTICE DEPT. FISKE DISCLOSES ACTION IN A LETTER SAYING HE'S UNWILLING TO APPEAR BEFORE CONGRESS AT THIS TIME. by Susan Schmidt-- ABBREVIATED VERSION OF THE SAME TEXT (KR-PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER , 555 words.) Jul 10

SPECIAL COUNSEL INDICATES PROBE OF S&L MATTER by Susan Schmidt. GREATLY ABBREVIATED VERSION OF THE SAME TEXT (KR-SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS , 146 words.) Jul 9

July 1994-Story--13-- A HOUSE OF DARKLY SHADED CARDS -- The first report by the Whitewater special prosecutor, Robert Fiske, was released on June 30. The main topic covered was the mysterious death last summer of Vincent Foster, deputy counsel in the White House. (KR-AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, 745 words). Jul 12

July 1994--Story--15 --Clinton Personal Loans--A little suspicion here CLINTON PERSONAL LOANS PARTLY REPAID BY DONORS By Susan Schmidt and Charles R. Babcock President Clinton took out about $400,000 in personal loans from one small Arkansas bank when he was governor of Arkansas, the banker, a former Clinton aide, said yesterday. The money was used for his political campaigns and to promote a state education initiative, and at least part of the debt was repaid with donations from corporations. (WASHINGTON POST), Jul 14

CLINTON'S 1980S LOANS DETAILED -- DEBT OF $220,000 PAID BY BACKERS-- WASHINGTON -- While governor of Arkansas in the mid-1980s, Bill Clinton borrowed at least $220,000 -- and perhaps twice that -- to promote his legislative agenda, then asked aides to solicit donations from supporters and special interests to pay off the loans. The loans and some of the donations were never disclosed, officials close to Clinton acknowledged in interviews. The arrangement exposed Clinton to considerable financial risk at a time when his salary as governor was $35,000 a year (BOSTON GLOBE, 463 words), Jul 14

STUDY SAYS CLINTON BORROWED $220,000 - PRESIDENT REPORTEDLY USED THE MONEY TO LOBBY FOR HIS AGENDA IN ARKANSAS -- NEARLY THE SAME TEXT. (KR-AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, 526 words). Jul 14

Clinton got loans to sell agenda in '80s WASHINGTON -- ABBREVIATED VERSION OF THE SAME TEXT (BALTIMORE SUN, 340 words), Jul 14

Lest we forget - CLINTON OFTEN BORROWED FOR CAUSES, EX-AIDE SAYS --by Susan Schmidt and Charles R. Babcock -- A longtime aide to Bill Clinton when he was governor of Arkansas said yesterday that Clinton "frequently" took out personal bank loans to promote his legislative initiatives. The White House continued to refuse to comment on the issue. (WASHINGTON POST, 511 words ), Jul 16

July 1994--Story--16--Deletions in Documents--a little suspicion there DELETIONS ALLEGED IN WHITEWATER FILE--WASHINGTON -- Documents the Clinton administration is sending Congress for upcoming hearings on the Whitewater affair are arriving with numerous deletions, the ranking Republican on the House Banking Committee said yesterday. Rep. Jim Leach, Republican of Iowa, said he was concerned about the deletions and will request to look at the originals. "I assume we will be allowed to," he said. Administration officials said the deleted material was unrelated to the committee's inquiry, Leach said. (BOSTON GLOBE, 85 words), Jul 14

July 1994--Story--17--The Nation's Business, if we can ever get to it -- Testing Congressional Leadership Congress came back from its July 4 recess this week to begin what could be its most partisan and contentious month of its two-year session. This 103rd Congress has been relatively productive so far, thanks to having both chambers controlled by the same party that controls the White House for the first time in 12 years. But the Clinton administration's centerpiece legislation is health-care reform, and if it doesn't get enacted, the first two years of``the end of gridlock'' will be deemed a failure, or (BALTIMORE SUN, 431 words), Jul 15

July 1994--Story--18 --Fiske needs more time for investigation. FISKE PUTS NEW AREA OFF LIMITS -- Congressional Whitewater hearings will be restricted further at the request of special counsel Robert Fiske, lawmakers said Friday. Fiske told House and Senate banking committee leaders that he will not finish investigating, prior to congressional hearings, the removal of files from the White House office of Vincent Foster. Fiske and lawmakers had agreed earlier that Congress would not hold hearings on subjects that remain part of the criminal investigation. (KR-CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 569 words), Jul 16

July 1994--Story--18 --But Susan Schmidt and the Washington Post see it differently. WHITEWATER HEARINGS FACE NEW OBSTACLE -- SPECIAL COUNSEL SAYS FOSTER PAPERS PROBE WON'T BE DONE BEFORE RECESS By Susan Schmidt --Special counsel Robert B. Fiske Jr. told Congress late yesterday that his investigation of the activities of White House aides in Vincent Foster's office after Foster's death would not be completed as expected in time for Whitewater hearings late this month. The surprise development suggests that Fiske may have come upon new information in his investigation of possible obstruction of justice by White House aides who went through Foster's documents. (WASHINGTON POST, 538 words ), Jul 15

FOSTER INQUIRY NEEDS MORE TIME, FISKE SAYS by Susan Schmidt --ABBREVIATED VERSION OF THE SAME TEXT ( PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER , 388 words.) Jul 15

July 1994--Story--19-- Negative Spinning and Leaking #1 -- Hanson-Altman. Here is the story in which the negative leaks to Susan Schmidt of the Washington Post from congressional Republicans begin. The Senate hearings did not start until July 28th, almost two weeks after the first leak. Hanson had been deposed by the Democratic and Republican staffs of the Senate Committee and it is her deposition that is leaked in this article. TREASURY DEPUTY KNEW OF WHITEWATER MEETINGS, SENATE TOLD --- DEPARTMENT COUNSEL SAYS SHE WAS TOLD TO BRIEF WHITE HOUSE AIDES LAST FALL ON INVESTIGATION By Susan Schmidt -- Treasury counsel Jean Hanson has told a Senate committee preparing for Whitewater hearings that Deputy Secretary Roger C. Altman instructed her to brief White House officials last fall on the Whitewater investigation, according to congressional sources. (WASHINGTON POST, 933 words ), Jul 17

July 1994--Story--19 --And is then disseminated. . . . . TESTIMONY TO CHALLENGE WHITE HOUSE Treasury counsel Jean Hanson has told a Senate committee preparing for Whitewater hearings that Deputy Secretary Roger C. Altman told her to brief White House officials last fall on the Whitewater investigation, The Washington Post reported. (KR-AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, 196 words). Jul 17

TREASURY BRIEFING ON WHITEWATER, CLINTON AIDE TIED by Susan Schmidt -- GREATLY ABBREVIATED VERSION OF THE SAME TEXT (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS , 111 words.) Jul 17

WHITEWATER FIGURE TELLS STORY OF LOAN -- FORMER LUMBER COMPANY OWNER BORROWED MONEY TO HELP CLINTON ASSOCIATE WHO OWNED A FAILING S&L -- A figure in the Whitewater investigation has broken his silence, saying he took out an $825,000 loan after being told the transaction would assist James McDougal, the Clintons' Whitewater partner. "I signed for the loan but I never saw the checks," Dean Paul said in an interview with the Associated Press. (KR-AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, 467 words). Jul 18

WHITEWATER MAN FINALLY GOES PUBLIC -- NEARLY THE SAME TEXT . (KR-LONG BEACH PRESS-TELEGRAM, 355 words), Jul 18

WHITEWATER FIGURE TELLS OF 6 FIGURES -- BUSINESSMAN SAYS $825,000 LOAN FROM S&L WAS INTENDED TO HELP CLINTONS' PARTNER -- A player in the Whitewater investigation has broken his silence, saying he took out an $825,000 loan after being told the transaction would assist James McDougal, the Clintons' Whitewater partner. ''I signed for the loan but I never saw the checks," Dean Paul said in an interview with the Associated Press. (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS , 426 words.) Jul 18

July 1994--Story--21-- Negative Spinning and Leaking #2 of a confidential memorandum from Eugene Ludwig. A question not asked or answered in the story: Did Clinton make any attempt to contact Ludwig after this? COMPTROLLER SAYS CLINTON SOUGHT HIS ADVICE ON WHITEWATER By Susan Schmidt -- Comptroller of the Currency Eugene A. Ludwig said yesterday that President Clinton had sought his advice on the Whitewater affair this winter. After consulting Treasury Department lawyers, Ludwig said, he determined it would be "impermissible" to discuss the matter with either the president or the First Lady. (WASHINGTON POST, 635 words ), Jul 19

Regulator says Clinton sought Whitewater advice A high-level banking regulator says in a confidential memo that President Clinton sought his ``advice and counsel'' on Whitewater on New Year's weekend (BALTIMORE SUN, 595 words), Jul 19

PRESIDENT SOUGHT ADVICE ON WHITEWATER FROM REGULATOR by Susan Schmidt ABBREVIATED VERSION OF THE POST STORY ( KR-THE WICHITA EAGLE , 566 words.) Jul 19

REGULATOR TELLS OF CLINTON APPROACH -- OFFICIAL, IN MEMO, SAYS HE DID NOT GIVE WHITEWATER ADVICE --WASHINGTON -- President Clinton asked one of the nation's top banking regulators last New Year's weekend to "provide advice and counsel" on Whitewater issues, according to a confidential memo written by the regulator. Eugene Ludwig, comptroller of the currency, said he discussed the request with White House and Treasury Department officials and then decided not to have further conversations with Clinton on the subject. (BOSTON GLOBE, 248 words), Jul 19

CLINTON QUERIED BANKS REGULATOR ON WHITEWATER -- MEMO: PRESIDENT SOUGHT ADVICE AT HILTON HEAD EVENT -- NEARLY THE SAME TEXT. (KR-CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 606 words), Jul 19

July 1994--Story--22--After Negative Leaks #1 and #2 -- CALL TO INVESTIGATE WHITEWATER LEAKS-- WASHINGTON -- The Democratic chairman and ranking Republican of the Senate Banking Committee called yesterday for an ethics investigation of news leaks in the panel's Whitewater inquiry. The committee, which opens hearings July 28, had agreed with the White House to treat all its documents as classified. Citing recent news stories, Sens. Donald W. Riegle Jr., Democrat of Michigan, and Alfonse D'Amato, Republican of New York, wrote leaders of the Senate Ethics Committee: "Given the severity of (BOSTON GLOBE, 115 words), Jul 20

ETHICS INVESTIGATION URGED OF NEWS Democratic chairman Sen. Donald W. Riegle Jr., D-Mich., and Alfonse D'Amato, R-N.Y., ranking Republican of the Senate Banking Committee, called yesterday for an ethics investigation of news leaks in the panel's Whitewater inquiry. The committee, which opens hearings July 28, had agreed with the White House to treat all its documents as classified. (KR-AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, 89 words). Jul 20

July 1994--Story--23-- The Washington Post's take on leaks from the Senate Whitewater Committee. PROBE OF WHITEWATER LEAKS IS SOUGHT By Susan Schmidt -- Call it an investigation of an investigation of an investigation. (WASHINGTON POST, 736 words ), Jul 20

July 1994--Story--24 -- FosterGATE-suicide. FAMILY ASKS FOR END TO FOSTER SCRUTINY -- WHITEWATER COUNSEL REQUESTS MORE DOCUMENTS FROM WHITE HOUSE By Susan Schmidt -- The family of Vincent Foster issued a statement yesterday, the anniversary of the White House deputy counsel's suicide, asking that the circumstances of his death not be subjected to further public scrutiny. (WASHINGTON POST, 732 words ), Jul 21

July 1994--Story--25--MenaGATE begins. CLANDESTINATION: ARKANSAS -- MENA IS A QUIET LITTLE PLACE. SO HOW DID IT BECOME THE CLOAK-AND-DAGGER CAPITAL OF AMERICA? By Howard Schneider -- Mention the CIA around Mena, Ark., and the response is likely to be an exasperated sigh and a pep talk about the local economy. (WASHINGTON POST, 2,784 words ), Jul 21

July 1994--Story--26 --PaulaGATE. JUDGE TO DECIDE IMMUNITY CLAIM FIRST IN LAWSUIT AGAINST CLINTON By Sharon LaFraniere -- A federal judge in Little Rock, Ark., said yesterday that she will decide whether President Clinton is immune from civil lawsuits while in office before allowing Paula Corbin Jones's complaint against him to go any further. Her decision was a significant legal victory for Clinton, who is accused of violating Jones's civil rights by sexually harassing her in 1991. (WASHINGTON POST, 586 words ), Jul 22

July 1994--Story--27--FosterGATE-suicide RENO CRITICIZES THE DOUBTERS OF FOSTER SUICIDE CONCLUSIONS-- WASHINGTON -- People who still question official conclusions that Vincent Foster killed himself are "unthoughtful people who are not looking at the record," Attorney General Janet Reno said yesterday. Whitewater special counsel Robert Fiske concluded last month that the deputy White House counsel committed suicide in a Virginia park where his body was found last year -- supporting an identical finding by US Park Police that Foster had died by his own hand. (BOSTON GLOBE, 397 words), Jul 22

July 1994--Story--28-- The leaks are just starting . . . .WHITE HOUSE SEEKS LEAK PROBE-- WASHINGTON -- The White House asked the Senate Banking Committee yesterday to seek a wider ethics investigation into news leaks of information gathered in the panel's Whitewater inquiry. White House Counsel Lloyd N. Cutler requested that the banking panel, which has already requested the ethics inquiry, should include leaks to Newsweek magazine from a deposition by senior presidential adviser George Stephanopoulos. (BOSTON GLOBE, 72 words), Jul 22

July 1994--Story--29--NavyGATE begins NAVY EXEC WAS OK'D WITH A SECRET - HE HAD RUN AN S&L THAT LOST $100 MILLION by Jeff Gerth-WASHINGTON -- John Dalton, who was swiftly confirmed as secretary of the Navy after being touted by President Bill Clinton as a businessman with "true leadership ability," headed a Texas savings and loan that failed and cost taxpayers at least $100 million. Most senators were unaware of his stint at Seguin Savings Association when they confirmed him last year without dissent or debate. (KR-DETROIT FREE PRESS , 301 words.) Jul 22

CLINTON PLAYS DOWN WHITEWATER -- HOT SPRINGS, ARK., JULY 23 -- President Clinton, here to attend his 30th high school reunion, today dismissed a suggestion that the Whitewater affair might undermine his presidency. (WASHINGTON POST, 154 words ), Jul 23

GOP LEADERS IN HOUSE ASK RENO FOR RULING ON CLINTON LEGAL FUND By Sharon LaFraniere -- The House Republican leadership yesterday asked Attorney General Janet Reno to justify the legality of President Clinton's unprecedented use of private contributions to pay his and the First Lady's legal bills. (WASHINGTON POST, 833 words ), Jul 23

July 1994--Story--32 --A little pre-emptive leaking with a more positve spin OFFICIAL'S DIARY SAID TO DEPICT MRS. CLINTON -- WASHINGTON -- In a private diary obtained by congressional investigators, a top administration official fretted that Hillary Rodham Clinton was so upset about her husband's appointment of an independent counsel to investigate the Whitewater affair that she risked losing her focus on health care reform, Rep. Barney Frank said yesterday. "HRC is really upset," Deputy Treasury Secretary Roger C. Altman wrote in his diary, Frank said at a breakfast meeting yesterday with reporters. (BOSTON GLOBE, 945 words), Jul 23

[Para 1] The White House last fall apparently was receiving more detailed information from the Treasury Department about the ongoing Whitewater criminal investigation than it has previously acknowledged, according to documents in the hands of congressional committees preparing for hearings.

[Para 8] Other administration documents show that Bruce Lindsey, one of President Clinton's closest advisers, was told immediately about the criminal referrals, perhaps the night of the Sept. 29 meeting, sources said. Two weeks later, on Oct. 14, Lindsey, Nussbaum and White House communications aide Mark Gearan met with Hanson, Treasury chief of staff Joshua Steiner and former Treasury communications director Jack DeVore to discuss the referrals. The White House has said the meeting was to discuss press inquiries. A memo Lindsey prepared for his file dated Oct. 20, 1993, memorializing the meeting shows that he knew that RTC investigators suspected that some Madison funds had been diverted to a Clinton campaign. The RTC [L.Jean Lewis] had named the Clinton gubernatorial campaign committee as a suspect in the alleged diversion of Madison funds -- in the form of four $3,000 campaign checks written in April 1985.

AIDE SAYS BENTSEN WAS BRIEFED ON WHITEWATER DISCUSSIONS by Stephen Labaton of the New York times. Contradicting public statements of Treasury Secretary Lloyd Bentsen, the department's top lawyer has told Congress that she briefed Bentsen about discussions between White House and Treasury officials involving their investigation of the Whitewater case, people involved in the inquiry said Friday. Bentsen has insisted since March that he never participated in or knew of the discussions between Treasury and White House officials that deeply embarrassed the administration when they were disclos (THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER , 309 words.) Jul 23

July 1994--Story--33-- And disseminate it. Four day before Senate hearings begin. BENTSEN'S MEMORY ON WHITEWATER HIT -- AIDE IS REPORTED TO CONTRADICT HIM NEARLY THE SAME TEXT AS THE NEW YORK TIMES STORY (KR-LONG BEACH PRESS-TELEGRAM, 502 words), Jul 24

July 1994--Story--34 --What Republican mole in the RTC said this? Well, let's see. . . . was it L.Jean Lewis , was it . . . . .ALTMAN TESTIMONY DISPUTED -- BRIEFING WAS EARLIER, RTC OFFICIAL SAYS By Susan Schmidt Deputy Treasury Secretary Roger C. Altman was informed of a request for a criminal investigation that might involve President Clinton soon after Altman took over as head of the Resolution Trust Corp., according to a knowledgeable source. That is much earlier than he has told Congress he knew about the probe. (WASHINGTON POST, 1,052 words ), Jul 24

July 1994-Story--36--CONGRESS TO START WHITEWATER HEARINGS -- NO CRIMINAL ACTIVITY, SAYS PROSECUTOR, SO ETHICS WILL BE THE PRINCIPAL ISSUE Beyond Washington, Whitewater is viewed by many as much ado about nothing. But this week's congressional hearings into the controversy mean a lot to President Clinton. There are likely to be some distracting and embarrassing revelations. Yet because a special prosecutor has found no crimes and voters seem tired of the tangle, some Democrats hope the hearings might actually help Clinton. (KR-AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, 283 words). Jul 24

July 1994--Story--37--Altman was one of the targets. ALTMAN LOOKS LIKE GOP'S PRIME WHITEWATER TARGET As the Clinton administration prepares for the Whitewater hearings in Congress this week, Deputy Treasury Secretary Roger Altman is emerging as the prime target for Republicans who hope to show that the White House has been withholding key information about its handling of the affair. ''In their mind's eye, Republicans are painting a bull's-eye around Roger's head," said one source close to the House of Representatives Banking Committee, where the long-anticipated Whitewater hearings will premiere. (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 716 words.) Jul 24

July 1994--Story--38--Negative Spinning and Leaking #3 --DIARY: OFFICIAL WAS PRESSURED ON WHITEWATER Senior White House officials put heavy pressure on the top savings and loan regulator, a close friend of President Clinton, to stay involved in the sensitive Whitewater investigations, according to a Treasury official's diary that has been turned over to Congress. (KR-MIAMI HERALD, 329 words), Jul 25

July 1994--Story--39--A fair description of the purpose of the Congressional hearings. Congress' Turn on Whitewater -- Congress gets into the Whitewater act this week, but just barely. The House and Senate Banking committees begin public hearings into what has been called ``the Washington phase'' of the controversial story. That is, did high-level White House or Treasury or Resolution Trust Corporation officials improperly try to influence RTC field investigators looking into Whitewater-related matters involving the Clintons and a failed savings and loan? Also, was White House Deputy Counsel Vincent W. Foster Jr.'s death (BALTIMORE SUN, 435 words), Jul 25

July 1994--Story-- 40 --Cutler--action of White House aides legal and ethical-but look at the headline CUTLER FAULTS CLINTON AIDES' JUDGMENT -- WHITEWATER CONTACTS LEGAL, COUNSEL SAYS By Sharon LaFraniere -- White House counsel Lloyd N. Cutler said yesterday some of President Clinton's aides used poor judgment in talking to Treasury Department officials about a request for a criminal inquiry that touched on the Clintons. He said, however, the aides violated no ethics laws or regulations. (WASHINGTON POST, 758 words ), Jul 25

CLINTON ALLY PRESSURED TO KEEP WHITEWATER ROLE, DIARY SAYS by Stephen Labaton of the New York Times -- Senior White House officials put heavy pressure on the top savings and loan regulator, a close friend of President Clinton's, to stay involved in the sensitive Whitewater investigations, according to a politically candid diary kept by a senior Treasury official that has been turned over to Congress. In his diary, Joshua Steiner, the Treasury secretary's chief of staff, records that Clinton was livid when the regulator, Deputy Treasury Secretary Roger Altman, decided to recuse himself from the Whitewater (KR- SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS , 619 words.) Jul 25

BENTSEN, AIDE AT ODDS ON SCRIPT -- LAWYER WANTED TREASURY SECRETARY TO SAY HE KNEW ABOUT WHITEWATER BRIEFINGS; BUT BENTSEN INSISTS HE DIDN'T Treasury Secretary Lloyd Bentsen's chief counsel drafted material that would have had Bentsen retract -- before Congress -- his statement that he had been unaware of Whitewater briefings given to White House officials, documents show. Bentsen's aides said yesterday that the secretary stands by his original statement and disavows the explanations and facts provided in material prepared by the counsel, Jean Hanson. (KR-AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, 446 words). Jul 25

DIARY DISPUTES CLINTON WHITEWATER STATEMENT by Stephen Labaton- ( KR-LEXINGTON HERALD-LEADER , 370 words.) Jul 25

July 1994--Story--42--The Ominous Warning of worse things to come. ON WHITEWATER, QUESTIONS JUST KEPT GROWING -- HOUSE HEARINGS BEGIN TODAY By Susan Schmidt and Howard Schneider -- When Republican senators asked in February whether Treasury aides had briefed the White House about the Whitewater investigation, Joshua Steiner believed his boss "gracefully ducked the question." At least that's what he jotted in his diary, now in the hands of congressional committees, one of which begins Whitewater hearings today. (WASHINGTON POST, 1,812 words ), Jul 26

July 1994 Story--43--PHASE TWO of the Altman Diary Negative Spinning and Leaking #4 -- The testimony of the witness is then characterized in terms of the news story by the same reporter written the previous day -- again in dark terms.

OFFICIAL SOFTENS PRESSURE' STORY - WITH HEARINGS ON WHITEWATER TO OPEN TODAY, HE NOW SAYS CONTROVERSIAL DIARY ISN'T PERFECT RECORD. by Stephen Labaton-A senior Treasury official whose diary casts a bad light on the administration's handling of the Whitewater affair will testify in Congress that his writings do not accurately reflect what occurred, administration officials and congressional investigators said Monday. In his diary, Joshua Steiner, the treasury secretary's chief of staff, wrote that White House officials had put ``intense pressure'' on Deputy Treasury Secretary Roger Altman to remain involved in overseeing the federal handling (THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER , 735 words.) Jul 26

WHITEWATER DIARIST CHANGES STORY - TREASURY AIDE SAYS STATEMENTS INACCURATE by Stephen Labaton- (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS , 323 words.) Jul 26

July 1994--Story--44-- And then Susan Schmidt of the Washington Post and the Knight-Ridder papers join in. WHITE HOUSE WILL TRY TO PUT BEST FACE ON RECOLLECTIONS ABOUT WHITEWATER by Susan Schmidt--- When Republican senators asked in February whether Treasury aides had briefed the White House about the White-water investigation, Joshua Steiner believed his boss "gracefully ducked the question." At least that's what he jotted in his diary, now in the hands of congressional committees, one of which begins hearings today. But the questions did not go away. A few days later, Steiner, the Treasury Department chief of staff, fretted in a note to his girlfriend that the "fallout" was ( THE WICHITA EAGLE , 761 words.) Jul 26

TOP CLINTON OFFICIALS TO FACE TOUGH QUERIES WHITEWATER HEARINGS BEGIN TODAY After months of news stories, cries of coverup and spirited defenses, the Whitewater affair and its potentially embarrassing details re-emerge today as the Clinton administration faces its first televised investigation. Although the Whitewater inquiry has none of the overarching constitutional themes of the Iran-Contra affair, the hearings before the House and Senate banking committees will subject top administration officials to questioning about behind-the-scenes conversations and meetings (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS , 734 words.) Jul 26

July 1994--Story--45--And we have sanctimonious sermons from the nation's capital and from California.

July 1994--Story--47-- The Story the GOP Successfully Hid. BEYOND WHITEWATER - THE GREAT TEXAS BANK ROBBERY -- Thomas J. Burnside was a senior lawyer with the Resolution Trust Corp. from 1990 to 1993. -- ST. LOUIS -- When Congress begins hearings on the Whitewater affair today, it should go beyond investigating an isolated thrift in Arkansas. (KR-MIAMI HERALD, 663 words), Jul 26

July 1994--Story 48--The Fiske Report of June 30th says there was nothing illegal or unethical in the White House-Treasury Contacts. But what did he know? And besides, he was on the way out. WHITE HOUSE INSISTS: WHITEWATER CONTACTS BROKE-- NO RULES-- WASHINGTON -- The House Banking Committee's hearings on the Whitewater controversy got under way Tuesday, and the first sessions were all that a supporter of President Bill Clinton could desire. Constrained by the limited scope of the hearings and by a five-minute limit on questioning, Republicans were unable to sustain a concerted attack on Clinton or his aides. (KR-DETROIT FREE PRESS, 415 words), Jul 27

July 1994--Story 49-- GOP is to quiz 10 White House senior aides -- WASHINGTON -- Democrats are dismissing congressional hearings into Whitewater as a boring partisan exercise, but Republicans say they've set the stage for interrogating White House aides who handled damage control for President Clinton. (BALTIMORE SUN, 647 words), Jul 27

July 1994--Story 50--More negative spinning and leaking CUTLER CHANGES HIS WHITEWATER TESTIMONY -- COUNSEL GIVES NEW DATES FOR SOME DISCLOSURES -- White House Counsel Lloyd Cutler on Wednesday altered his version of when the White House learned of the targets of the Whitewater investigation after Clinton administration documents seemed to contradict some elements of the testimony he gave Tuesday. The documents, made public Tuesday by the House Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs Committee, showed that a White House lawyer received information in late September about the potential targets of theWhitewater probe, including Gov. Jim Guy Tucker of (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS , 565 words.) Jul 27

July 1994--Story 51--INTERFERENCE ON WHITEWATER PROBE DENIED -- Former White House Counsel Bernard Nussbaum denied today that he or anyone else at the White House tried to influence the government investigation of the Whitewater affair. He said the meetings he had with banking regulators "were proper." ''I did not, nor as far as I am aware, did anyone else at the White House ever seek to direct the outcome of or interfere with that investigation," he told the House Banking Committee on the second day of its hearing into Whitewater. (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS , 743 words.) Jul 28

CUTLER REVISES DATE WHITE HOUSE LEARNED OF SL INVESTIGATION TARGETS By Susan Schmidt -- White House counsel Lloyd N. Cutler yesterday altered his version of when the White House learned of the targets of the Whitewater probe after administration documents seemed to contradict some elements of the testimony he gave Tuesday. (WASHINGTON POST, 790 words ), Jul 28

Veterans of the White House counsel's office, the Justice Department, and agencies involved in the S&L cleanup mostly sided with Leach yesterday, although they said the case presented such an unusual situation for the officials involved that it was difficult to judge. [Of what political party?]

July 1994--Story--54--Setting the White House up for the kill.

July 1994--Story--55--Even the dead are not allowed to rest. FOSTER DEATH TO BE GRIST FOR NEWEST HEARINGS -- SENATE NOW TACKLES INQUIRY ON WHITEWATER WITH FEWER HOLDS BARRED The death of Vincent Foster, subject of sordid conspiracy theories on the talk shows, will be the focus of national attention today as the Senate Banking Committee opens its Whitewater hearings. Although the House Banking Committee ruled the issue off limits, the Senate panel will review the circumstances surrounding the discovery of the White House counsel's body a year ago in a park overlooking the Potomac River. (KR-AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, 538 words). Jul 29

July 1994--Story--56--Back to Altman - ACCUSATIONS OF LIES and PERJURY -- Continued negative spinning and leaking.

GOP SENATORS ACCUSE CLINTON AIDES OF LYING NEARLY THE SAME TEXT - . (KR-MIAMI HERALD, 607 words), Jul 30

GOP SEES ALTMAN AS WHITEWATER TARGET -- TREASURY OFFICIAL BLASTED AT HEARINGS -- With no Democrat willing to come to his defense, Deputy Treasury Secretary Roger C. Altman came under blistering attack Friday by Republicans who opened the Senate's Whitewater hearings by calling on him to resign for mishandling the Whitewater investigation and misleading Congress. The Republicans also released new testimony by a White House official that they said contradicted statements Altman made about Whitewater in late February to the Senate Banking Committee. (KR-LONG BEACH PRESS-TELEGRAM, 570 words), Jul 30

CLINTON AIDE ACCUSED OF LYING -- REPUBLICANS CONTEND DEPUTY TREASURY SECRETARY WAS UNTRUTHFUL TO CONGRESS ABOUT WHITEWATER BRIEFING. Republicans used a Senate hearing on Whitewater yesterday to launch a vehement political assault on the Clinton administration. Republican Sens. Alfonse M. D'Amato of New York and Phil Gramm of Texas accused Deputy Treasury Secretary Roger Altman of deliberately lying to Congress about his briefing of White House officials on a Resolution Trust Corp. investigation of an Arkansas savings and loan firm linked to President Clinton. (KR-AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, 425 words). Jul 30

REPUBLICANS ACCUSE CLINTON AIDE OF PERJURY - ALTMAN TO BE AT SENATE HEARING TUESDAY NEARLY THE SAME TEXT (KR-CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 946 words), Jul 30

GOP USES WHITEWATER TO SLAM CLINTON-- WHITE HOUSE AIDES TRIED TO SHIELD THE PRESIDENT-- FROM RTC PROBE, SENATORS SAY. Republicans used a Senate hearing on Whitewater on Friday to launch a vehement political assault on the Clinton administration. Republican Sens. Alfonse D'Amato of New York and Phil Gramm of Texas accused Deputy Treasury Secretary Roger Altman of deliberately lying to Congress about his briefing of White House officials on a Resolution Trust Corp. investigation of an Arkansas savings and loan

July 1994--Story--57-- Surgery for a patient near euthanasia. ORIGINAL HEALTH PLAN UNDERGOES MAJOR SURGERY -- With President Clinton's original health plan thrown out the window, every member of Congress is submitting an alternate one. (KR-CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 498 words), Jul 30

July 1994--Story--58--Nothing like attending to the nation's business. FosterGATE suicide looked into for the third time. SENATE BANKING PANEL TURNS TO FOSTER DEATH -- NO NEW EVIDENCE EMERGES IN TESTIMONY By Howard Schneider The Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee set aside interest rates and economic growth yesterday and burrowed into the details surrounding last summer's investigation into the death of former White House deputy counsel Vincent Foster. (WASHINGTON POST, 648 words ), Jul 30

July 1994--Story--59 -More Negative Spinning and Leaking by the GOP and the Washington Post. TREASURY ETHICS DOCUMENTS FORWARDED TO WHITE HOUSE -- BENTSEN PASSED ALONG WHITEWATER TRANSCRIPTS By Clay Chandler --Treasury Secretary Lloyd Bentsen asked the Treasury inspector general for interview transcripts from an ongoing ethics inquiry into how the Clinton administration handled the Whitewater matter and forwarded the documents to the White House, administration officials said yesterday. (WASHINGTON POST, 707 words ), Jul 31

WHITE HOUSE HAD TREASURY PAPERS ON ETHICS PROBE GREATLY ABBREVIATED VERSION OF THE SAME TEXT (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS , 135 words.) Jul 31

Bentsen request for Whitewater interview copies prompts charges of influence -- WASHINGTON -- Treasury Secretary Lloyd M. Bentsen asked his agency's independent investigator last weekend for copies of interviews from a continuing ethics review of the Clinton administration's handling of Whitewater, officials said yesterday. (BALTIMORE SUN, 443 words), Jul 31

July 1994--Story--60--A dying National Health Reform Plan. HILLARY CLINTON PUSHES QUIETLY ON HEALTH CARE-- WASHINGTON -- These are not easy days for Hillary Rodham Clinton. She has been attacked by the insurance industry, targeted by Republicans on the Whitewater affair and, hardest of all, forced to stand aside as Democratic leaders rip up her health care bill and start anew. But rather than move over now that Congress is rewriting health reform, she is working behind the scenes to influence the new legislation, having met with more than 100 members of Congress in the last 10 days. And she (BOSTON GLOBE, 1,652 words), Jul 31

July 1994--Story--61--1994 -Peace in the Middle East? Rabin would be assasinated by a Israeli right-winger and a right wing government would take over in Israel. 1998-Peace in the Middle East? TOGETHER AGAIN FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME-- On Monday, King Hussein of Jordan and Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin of Israel signed an agreement on the South Lawn of the White House ending 46 years of war between their two countries. The next day they addressed a joint session of Congress, the first time two world leaders had made such an appearance together. (BOSTON GLOBE, 851 words), Jul 31

July 1994--Story 62-The Smear Continues. POLITICS OF GRAVE DIGGING -- THE VEILED ACCUSATIONS OF MURDER ARE CRUDE AND SENSATIONALISTIC. BUT THERE'S NO DENYING THE PECULIAR PATTERN OF SUICIDES AND VIOLENCE SURROUNDING PEOPLE CONNECTED TO THE CLINTONS. (KR-CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 731 words), Jul 31

Press here to go back to HOME page