January 23, 1996
Web posted at: 4:30 p.m. EST
From Senior White House Correspondent Wolf Blitzer
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bill Clinton was described Tuesday as confident that first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton will satisfy the questions of Whitewater independent counsel Kenneth Starr, who has ordered her to testify Friday before a grand jury. But the issue is getting increasingly messy for the Clintons, especially after long-missing Rose Law Firm billing records -- subpoenaed by Starr two years ago -- were mysteriously discovered this month in an upstairs room at the White House.
Despite the potential embarrassment, the administration insists it has nothing to hide and that "the truth will prevail." (102K AIFF sound or 102K WAV sound) White House spokesman Mike McCurry told reporters Tuesday that Starr could have asked Mrs. Clinton to answer his questions under oath at the White House, as he's done on three previous occasions. This will be the first time a sitting first lady has been compelled to give grand jury testimony -- a fact that White House officials believe illustrates Starr's anger over the mysterious appearance of the missing records. (128K AIFF sound or 128K WAV sound)
Mrs Clinton's appearance represents a fact-finding step and does not mean -- at least for now -- that she is a target of a criminal probe. Nevertheless, the subpoena means Starr has stepped up the investigation, according to Georgetown University law professor Paul Rothstein. (145K AIFF sound or 145K WAV sound) Subpoenaed along with Mrs. Clinton are her personal attorney, David Kendall, three of her aides, and a partner in Kendall's law firm.
As with all grand jury sessions, Mrs. Clinton's appearance will be behind closed doors. The time of Mrs. Clinton's Friday testimony has not been revealed.
On the eve of her grand jury appearance, the first lady will make campaign stops in New Hampshire, where the first-in-the-nation primary will be held on February 20. Her intinerary has not been announced but an administration official said the trip was planned before the subpoena was issued.
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