OCR Text |
Show s AS The Sait Lake Tribune NATION/WORLD Sunday, October 4, 1998 Judiciary Turns Focus to ‘High Crimes and Misdemeanors’ Judge Orders Experts to Probe Alleged Starr Leaks BY JOHN SOLOMON Internet and cable TV networks ¢ House Judiciary Committee begins deciding Monday whether the body wires, a stained blue dress, endless lies to aides, lawyers and the public, and a job search for a slightly experienced mistress add up to a betrayal of national trust and aduse of power so gross as te deserve impeachment. Orwhetherit all just amounts to the sad and ham-fisted efforts of a man desperately trying to hide misbehavior that is ugly but hardly “high crimes and misdemeanors.” Thatis the only definition the Constitution provides for abuses warranting impeachment by the House, a trial in the Senate and, ulti- mately, removalofa president from office by a two-thirds vote of senators — 87. And that gives the Repubiican-controlled House Judiciary Committee tremendous leeway in determining just what constitutes an impeachable offense. When the Judiciary Committee votes Monday or Tuesday to recommend the House authorize a formal impeachmentinvestigation,it will begin casting Clinton's behavior in the light of offenses that potentially undermined the Constitution andtheruleoflaw. By week’s end, Bill Clinton will probably join Andrew Johnson and Richard Nixon as the only presidents ever to be targeted for impeachment. ‘The Republicans who dominate the House of Representatives will establish the rules and scope of the formal inquiry. The Judiciary Committee inquiry must be approved on the Houseflocr, and when thevote occurs,it wili bethefirst time that members take a stand on the scandal. Congressional Democrats won't enjoy this week. It now appears that some Democrats will break ranks and vote for the Republican resolution launching the inquiry. Some are southerners who represent conservative dis- tricts. Others are locked in tight re-election races and don't wantto give conservative voters a reasonto goto the polls and vote against them. The committee and the House conceivably report to Johnson. The ides is to help the judge decide whether — A federal for any alleged leaks. ies Bakaly, a spokesman dence, legal sourc i The sources said Saturday that comment Clinton's lawyers have tried to makethe conduct of prosecutors a centrai focus, formally accusing NEW YORK — President Clinton should appearin the well of the House and receive a “harshly worded re” former President Ford said in today’s New York Times. Ford, who pardoned Richard Nixon judge ordereda: charges. said Clinton should appear before Congress and “accept full re- Holloway Johnson secretly ordered the appointment ofa “spe in 1974 from any possible criminal sponsibility for his actions, as well as for his subsequent efforts to delay or impede the investigation of them.” could impeach Clinton on a party-line vote Buta half-dezen to a dozen Democrats — depending uponresults of the Nov. 3 elections — would haveto join a completely unified GOP in the Senate totoss Clinton out of office. That would require a case compelling enough te be viewed as a nonpartisan exercise, and persuading a public that so far appears disgusted by Clinton’s behavior but not angry enoughto call for his head. prosecutors should be penalized ointment of an & FordCriticizes Clinton outside expert t ti into w counsel Kenn legally leaked U.S. assist her invesner independent 11's office il grand-jury evi District Judge Norma cial master” last week in the Mon. iea Lewinsky case. The move, recommended to Johnson this summerby the U.S Court of Appeals, is reminder that while prosecutors already have forwarded to Congressevidence against President Clinton of possible impeachable offenses, their concerns remain The special master would likely review evidence sub: by Starr to rebut allegationsthat his 8ae COMBINED NEWSSERVICES WASHINGTON — The Clinton sex scandai reaches a new, profoundly serious stage Monday, evolving from a tawdry and embarrassing revelation of intimate trysts into a constitutional clash of powers. More than 10,006 pages of documents, transcripts and photosare ricecheting around the office illegally leaked information. Thespecial master, normally a lawyeror law professor, would for Starr, and presidential attorDavid Kendall both declined themof being sources of news articles that detailed secret testimo- ny and evidence gathered by the grand jury in the Lewinsky case. Starr's office has denied im- proper disclosures. But Johnson, chief federai judge for Washington, who oversaw the grand jury used by Starr. ruled that defense lawyers for Clinton and other witnesses pro- vided enough evidenceof alleged grand-juryleaks to justify a hearing on thematter. In such a hearing, Starr would have to demonstrate why he shouldn't be found in contempt of court Rumors Take On Legal Weight In Prosecutor’s Investigation GANNETT NEWSSERVICE WASHINGTON — Investigative documents released Friday in the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal are riddled with enough hearsay, sec- ondhand and thirdhand rumor, gossip, raw reportage and sheer speculation to horrify a civil libertarian. Material that never would be allowed as evidenceina trialor that would normally hit the bottom of an editor’s wastebasketfor fear of “That’s the kind of stuff that should notbe in there,” said Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., a member of the House Judiciary panel. “It's because this was done so recklessly and so quickly. That's why lots of us objected. I'm sure lots of things slipped through. It turns on its head the presumption that grand-jury testimony should be kept secret.” Nadler was one of only 60-plus House members who voted libel suddenly is protected by legal privilege to disseminate because it comes from independent counsel Kenneth Starr, courtesy against speedy release of such testimony and wiretap transcripts of phone conversations Monica Lewinsky’s former friend, Linda ae made without her knowi- Passage after passage — even from grand-jury testimony under ee one reproduction of grand jury testimony, Tripp — on her secondvisit before the panel — describes Lewinsky’s belief that of the House Judiciary Commitee. oath — names women who may or maynot have had sex with Presi- dent Clinton, but thenfaiis to list any verification or evidentiary conclusion. Such speculative material — according to Democratic and Republican commitiee members during the past weeks — was sup- posed to be redacted to “protect the innocent.” Redactionis a fancy word for blacking out passages and making them unreadable. White House women who had af- fairs with the president were referred to in code as “graduates” and “alumni.” Lewinsky complained to Tripp about her transfer to the Pentagon: “Her angerwas that so many of the graduates were allowed to stay and thrive and support the president she didn't understand why she was the only one Instead, the voluminous release leaves in names on first reference,crosses them out on second, restores thein on third, reverses who had to be banished.” The Houserelease even includ- that order, andwilly-nilly names just about every woman ever mentioned as a putative sex partner of the president during the 10-monthinvestigation. Lewinsky told a White House employee over coffee that she had a “Barbie-doll crush” on Nancy Group of Seven Offers a Pledge, But Little Action ed such excruciating minutiae as idle schuoigirl rambling in which Hernreich — the director of Oval Office operations. appear vulnerable to financial contagion but have notyet fallen into full-fledged crises. For this new financing mechanism te be- come effective, however, the IMF’s depleted cash reserves must be replenished by its 182 membercountries, and the U.S. @ Continued From 4-1 House of Representativesis balk ing at providing the $18 billion Wolfensohn, the World Bank president, who attended parts of the meeting, “expressed his commiiment to this agenda,” Rubin said ‘The World Bank has already lent billions of dollars to South Korea, Thailand, Indonesia and other countries hit by the crisis, and no dollar figures were dis- closed on the amountof new cred: it that might be made available. The G-7 agreed to expiore another proposal announced by U.S. contribution. According to Rubin, the meeting devoted considerable attention to Japan, where the stock market plunged last week to its lowestlevelin 12 years, heighiening fears that Tokyo's plight would further drag down its Asian neighbors and the world economy in general. Japan has the world’s secondlargest economy, and it has come Clinton for the International under intense pressure from the United States and other countries to take boid action aimedat end- lines of credit to countries that ing a seven-year-long period of stagnation. Monetary Fund (IMF)to provide DO YOU HAVE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE? Distinct yet inseparable. Elegantyetrelaxed. Subtle yet spirited. Worldly yet The University of Utah, Department of unmistakably American. Like mother and daughter. As close as you can be. Nephrology, is seeking volunteers for e study of high blood pressure. The study medication will be free of charge throughout the 5 year study. If you are over 55 and have high blood pressure, 402. Perfume Purse Spray, $125 8 oz. Perfumed Bath Gel, $36 8 oz. Perfumed Body Creme, $65 8 02. Perfumed BodyLotion, $45 Please Call Dr. Munger at 585-5318 UNIVERSITY OF UTAH HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER AIR DUCT CLEANING improves the = quality in your home! < “ grtteneeeees | | Whole House Package | | $159.95 Expires 10/19/98 | | zi cat Duct Pros We Will Not ra. . A sta. regi cee 355-8719 1 02. Eau de Partum Spray, $45 1.7 02. Eau de Parfum Spray, $65 Available at Salt Lake Downtown, Cottonwood,Valley Fair, University Mall, Layton Hills and South Towne. /UM St. Geonse Dowarown Moree THROU ‘Soop ALL stones Monwy Tencuce Sarurmy 10 A.nt-9 es. (ocePT Swer Lave Dowertonm ano ZCMII-Fooriau: Saruron’ 10 AM.-7Pw. ano ‘Onnen ay Pecnle Wy Saat Lave, 579-0666 exsewwene n Und ao nw 7H€ U.S, 1-900-759-6666 : Vie# us on the Internet at www.zemi.com ay 10 Am-6 em) Cuncen Seman, |