House Chairman Seeks Contempt Resolution Against White House Aides

WASHINGTON (CNN, May 29) -- Calling the credibility of the White House into question, Rep. William Clinger (R-Pa.) planned to introduce a resolution today which holds current and former White House aides in contempt of Congress for refusing to turn over documents subpoenaed by Congress four months ago.

Clinger's resolution, passed May 9 by the House Government Reform and Oversight Committee which he chairs, holds White House Counsel Jack Quinn and two former White House aides in contempt for failing to turn over subpoenaed documents in the White House travel office firings.

"Using executive privilege for documents that have nothing to do with national security or sensitive matters, and nothing to do with the decision-making powers of the presidency and have everything to do with the character of this White House increases, I think, the president's credibility gap with the American people," Clinger said.

White House attorney Mark Fabiani said Clinger's move had prevented any further cooperation. "This has turned into a political sideshow," Fabiani told the Associated Press. "We have proposed numerous compromises," he said. "Once the committee took the contempt vote, the negotiations ended."

When asked how many documents he believes are being withheld, Clinger said, "The White House has said the number is small, but we also have a statement from the Attorney General, Ms. Reno, that the number is large. So, once again, it's very difficult to get a really straight or definitive answer from this administration."

Questioned today, White House press secretary Mike McCurry scoffed, "Chairman Clinger has 40,000 pages worth of paper and he all but wants the rolls of toilet paper in the men's room here. That's what he's after. He's gotten a little ridiculous."

But Clinger said he has been trying for three years to obtain documents from the White House. "However, to this day, the White House continues to keep the public from finding out the facts by engaging in what I perceive to be a calculated pattern of stonewalling in a repeated effort to delay and deny production of documents," he said.

The House is expected to vote on the resolution late this week. If it passes, the Speaker must certify the contempt resolution and send it to the U.S. Attorney for possible prosecution. Possible penalties for conviction include up to one year in prison and up to a $1,000 fine.

Related Story:

• Clinton Invokes Executive Privilege In Travel Office Probe -- May 9, 1996
• House Wants More Travel Office Answers -- February 16, 1996