Union Calendar No. 461 104th Congress, 2nd Session - - - - - - - - - - House Report 104-849

INVESTIGATION OF THE WHITE HOUSE

TRAVEL OFFICE FIRINGS AND RELATED

MATTERS

FIFTEENTH REPORT

BY THE

COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT

REFORM AND OVERSIGHT

together with

MINORITY AND ADDITIONAL VIEWS

SEPTEMBER 26, 1996.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed

759

l December ll, 1994 •Task List" by Ja e Sherburne describing · 39 scandals in the Clinton Administration and how White

House attorneys should work: on themt (OF 780643 - 7806"54)

2 June 30, 1995 Memorandum to the Fil from Jane Sherburne re Debriefing of Roy Neel's Whitewate deposition (OF 781690-691)

3 July 7, 1995 Memorandum for the Fiie from Miriam Nemetz re Debriefing of George stephanopoulos' Whitewater deposition ' (OF 781726-728).

4 July 81 l.995 Memorandum to the PiJ:°e from David B. Fein re Debriefing of Cliff Sloan's White ater deposition, (DF 781708-715).

5 July 15, 1995 Memorandum for the File from Miriam Nemetz reDebriefing of Patsy Thomasson's Whitewater deposition, (DF

. 781731-734).

G July 15, 1995 Memorandum to the File from Jane Sherburne re Debriefing of David Watkins' Whitewater deposition, (DF 781735-738).

7 July 18, 1995 Memorandum to the File from David B. Fein re Debriefing of Susan Thomases' Whitewater deposition, (DF 781729-730).

a August 1, 1995 Memorandum to Jane Sherburne and Natalie Williams from David E. Kendall (personal attorney for the Clintons) re: Representative Clinger Document Request (OF 781932-933).

9 Undated •Questions for Podesta• prepared for Committee . hearings by White House (DF 781539542) •

10 Undated, Scripted Questions for Committee hearings prepared by the White House Counsel's office (DF 781785-817),

11 Undated handwritten notes on Counsel's office strategy on Travel Office investigation (DF 780920, 781893-900).

i.

ae.

a! . .

·11111111111 OF ?80643

760

JCS Privilag•d

'l'Uk List D•c•:mbflr 13, 1994

l . Issues

a. Foster document handling (Nemetz}b. Travel Office (Cerf) c:. White House/Treasury contacts (revisited; report)

(JCS)cl. obstruction of ju•tice (DOJ handling ot criminal

referrals; Jay Stephens ; RTC whistlablower reprisals) (**)

•• use of White House resources tor responna efforts (Nolan)

f. Foster suicide (Nemetz) q. Espy (ethics; expanded Smaltz inquiry re Tyson's,

Hatch Act) (Mills/Nolan/**)h. Cisneros (**)

Brown ("'*)Hubbell (**)j.

k. Ickas/union representation C**l1·. St•p anopoulos/NationsBank (**l m. state Department - passport tiles (**ln. Archives --·abus.-ot per•onnel system(**) o. Leqal Defense rund (Mill•) p. Health Cara Task rorc•· (Neuwirth) q. White House operations (drUqa, passes,

hdicoptars) .(Milla/Nole.n) r. residence renovations (Neuwirth)•• prasidantial·iJrununity (Slcan>t. White House Arkan•an• (Tho asson, Nash, Rasco)

(**) I.I. PIC &urplus (**l v. improper •lectioneerinq (SBA) (**) w. GSA (Roqar ohnsonJ (**) )C. Value Partn•rs (Keuwirth)Y'. preaidential campaiqn (?2C audit) (**) z. collllllodities (Ke.ndall/**) aa. gubernatorial campaigns (Lindsey, Wright) - record

kaeping (Kendall/**)ab. gubernatorial ca paigns - MGSL (Rendall/**) ac. Whitewat•r/MGSL (Kendall/**)ad. other MGSL/McOougal (Xandall/**l

Ro•• Law Firm {KRC work !:or HGSLt .rrost Ca••, FSLIC representation) (Xandall/**) David Hala/Suaan McDougal/SBA (Rendall/**)

(**) u1tllC;J. Tucker

R0<7ar legislat ive

t

riqht kaep ai•pla

ist

play republican•

aj.

f.

761

- 2 -

ah. Lasater (bond daal•T ai. U•• of lean• to achiava

{**)ADFA (political favcr•1

cocain•t Clinton ) (•*) initiatives

Larry Nichols) (**)

. ak, Mana Airpor (**l al. troopers (*'*I am. woman (X•ndall/Bennatt/*'*l

2. Preliminaries

a. idantify key republican objactivaa and routas tor acblavinq them -- a.q. i. sustain shadow on WJC.character ii. hype HRC thraat.to·white men, traditional

women

b. identify quidinq principle• for response -- ••9•

i. nothinq to hid• ii. stick to the facts .!.ii. iv. v. vi.

1.Li. iii. protocol iv. •trataqy/principl•• tor asaer:ting

d. research re antitla..nt of Congr••• to HRC/WJC transcript• of depo•itiolUI qivan to risk•

•· research r• conqreasio l •Ubpo&n& power

i. r .. ch CHRC/WJC) ii. preC-Sant• iii. co11111ittae rule• iv. procedure•

c.

qat it the first it .

r.. har•••••nt 9ovarn AJl•rica

executive privilege r••earcb

tiiia

OLC stat• of the co11J1enta by re a•••rtion

r•••arch. r• li•itations ·on.l119ialativ. power to invHti9at•

..........OF

--set-maatinq--with-Starr����������������.����������

(Senate Judiciary)

h. courtesy visits to Hill -- meaber and staff level (•q. Prank, sarbanes, l•aderahip; Harris, Meek,

1.

lmllllBllH OF ? 5

Mezbtir• and

762

q, learn new Hill co1111ittae jurisdiction, Jlll:llberahip

etc.)

i. consultations

'j. offensive structure i. FEC legal research ii. 'Wl<C iii. DNC/OCCC/DSCC iv. surrogates

k. representation of Adli!iniatration officials by private counsel

i. compensation

research ra proper rel• of O'WHC with raspect to pre-inaugural issues with an ai.lll toward articulating principle• for determining who ehould be principal apo aaparson on a pa ticular issue and the extent to which each (private counael/OWHC) should participate.

Foster Document Handling

a. independent counael inquiry

(l) idantity options with respect to issuance of report

(a) precedents

(2) inquire about status and timin9(3) HRC/WJC depositions

ii. status check with counsel for individuals

b, congressional hearings

i. identity likely collllllittees Banking; Houae Banking, Gov Op1,

(l) idantity friend• - key' staff• G

cft'•na!va re.search a,

763

- " -

(2) (3)

id9.lltify l•ad•r1hip identify k1y republie&?UI

ii. con9r•11ional vi1it•

(1) Daschl• . (2) sarh&n••·' oth•r Danltin9' (3) houaa

iii.

iv.

prepare background •atarial•

(1) a•••llbl• public r•cord (2) talkinq points and tact ••=oranda

d•t•:riain• hO\I to handl• rapr11•ntaticn individual Whit• Hausa staff

(11 out1id• counsal (2) attorney faaa (3) asaartion of privileges

ot

c.

a. pre•• strataqy

aurrcqate rola

i. Hasiltcn ii. identify other•

f. issue apecit'ic tasks

i. 1acurity/Livin91tone isau•• (1) debrief Joal (2) raviav Livin91tona file(3) consult vit:h :Randy TUrk(4) intarviav Livingston•(5) fact :11e110

ii, inconcluaiven••• re WillimQI r• oval cf documents

(1) confer vith Ed Denni•(21 debrief Joel ra security officer (3) · asaamble public report• of docUJ11ent

r• oval on 7/20 and atata>11ant1 attributed to llhita Hcuaa cfficial1•m&

\.. , •••.•.. OF 1e0S4G

---------------------.i,-ediataly

(2)

(a)

1111111111111 OF ?8064'7

July

(2) fact 1111a1110 (3) legal research

(a) obligation to ••al the off ice ..

764

- !S -

iii. chain of cu•tody re tran•t•r ot p•r•onal filu

(1) co111pleta interview•

(a) Carolyn Huber (b) Linda 'l'ripp (c) Oaborah Gorha111 (d) Bob Barnatt (e) syvia Mathaw•

Clinton

...

fact 111e1110 . .J (3)(4)

aaaa111ble public racord datermina stratagy ra release ot woe fil•

iv. saarch of Feater office

(l) a•s•lllhla public racord

includinq any relavant teati111ony at senate hearing on Foatar suicide in

1994

(b)

(c)

(1) co111plete interview•

(a) Garqen (b) llurton•,.G

v, delay in

obligation to cooperate with law anforce1111ant authorities va. protaction of privilaqad 111atarial

basia for prctaoting diac 1osure to Congress of privilaqed :material in VF oftica

(i) b&•i• tor rasi•tinq id.antification/production o f all docUJ1enta i n V F office andllarni •'• 11afa

surtacinq auicida nots

davalop chronolOCJY/fact

note

i.

ii. iii.

c,

iv. offensive help

Jay Stephens. ratention••I '

765

- ' -

(21 a•••'mhl• •atcr al in public record

(:1) fact 11uo

(4) leqal rasaarch

{a) obligations to discloaa a not• to lav enforceaent· authorities

{i) if not obviously a suicide

(ii) timeline•• requirements

4. Foster suicide

a. Chris Ruddy/center tor Western Journalismb. cau••• for suicide c. monitor senate raport;. coordinate with Hamilton d. develop press respon••

5. Obstruction of Justice

a. delay in addreaainq criminal referrals; OOJ role (D.c. and Paula CJl••Y)

i. determine usual process 'lleJllO vith key-----,--�ii..._ documants

(1) Charlam Bank• (2) Paula Casey(3) (track Lawis corraspondenca raleaaed by

tAach)

iii. identify COllllllittee intareat (D'Amato; House)iv. assemble public record

b. RTC/Kansas city inveatiqation (suspension of JeanLawis, Richard Iorio ate.; April Breslav; pra-1993 activity)

·

develop chronology of known facts and key documents interview Breslaw identify Co111111ittaa interest (Laach; Senate)

forexamine last day of House heerinqs

1111111111111 OF ?80648

:Jurisdiction ldantity

i.

i.

------- -

ii. iii.

lllllllllllllU OF 790649

other response to

766

- 7 -

i. track public r•cordii. identify affort• to qiva IC civil

intarast (D'Am&to; House)

6, White Housa/Traasury contacts

a, Sanate Repor t

. iii. Collllllittaa

ii. review/co11D1ent on Report keep in touch with Mi no rity Reportdevalopznents

ii!.. prapara pr••• strataqy iv. id•ntity surroqatas

b. Whit• Hou•• inv••tiqation ot Whit• House/Treasurycon acts (receipt of information about RTC inva•tiqation; work prc duct1 redactions)

ii.

prepara fila ••znorandu:m. dascribinq use of unradactad transcripts deterznine continuinq Bond interest

c.

- --- -------------------i--.-

Truthtuln ss of lihite Hauss and other wit n•••••Administration (referral cf tastiznony

Starr -- L .s, ,{l.t:!£h!lnopo1.;1 ? t- ·. •. :

oonsul-t--with-lawyar.s--identify of vulnerability

to

ii, areas iii. resaarch.re perjuryiv. preas re.spona•

d. Meads-up policy

i, surrcq&tes ii. uniform application iii. Tr.aaury status iv. pr••• strataqy for ralaaaa of cc111111ittee

report " v. work up b ackgroun d paper en precedents

a. Racus al policies/OGE/Exacutiv• Orders

i. pres• atrateg-y tor raleasa of Coll!lllittee report backqround paper consult with OGE

iv. consider Exec utive order er Collll!littea••6

etJU'!llj,ne acoiY st::rae•

i.

i.

(1) (2)

767

- ll -

f. contact• policy (:Executive ordar)

press strataqy ror raleasa of CCllllQittee r11port

ii. backqround papariii. consult vith OCEiv. consider ExacutiV• Order or other response to

Comiittee 'l'iqartRikkiq.

determine her tir•t likely congressionalappearance in tha n•v conqras•assazbl• public recordii.

iii. intarviav Garqan, Ti9ert and Xlein re collll!lunication• on th• subject of recusal

detarmina raepon•• to allaqationa of "pressure" datarmin• response to allaqation that Klain miale.cl tha co111111ittaa

7.

s.

n'\or

J.c>.

iv. determine p ·· strataqy/talkinq point.I

Smaltz Inve•tiqation

a. Espy -- ethic• (Milla) b. bayond Espy ethics (Hatch Act, Tyson'•)

charter, of inquiryii. d•tarm:l.n• pre.ea iii. identify conqraasional interest iv. assemble ublic racord v. fact qatharinq

Whit• House lfhitsvater rasponae effort

laq11l ras•arch&.

b. c.

d.

i. th• appropriate rel• at White Hous• atatf with r••P•ct to i•auaa ari•inq pre­inauquration (••• abova)

tact davelopnant (scope of attort, ate.) d•t•rmin• pr••• ctrateqy/davelop talkinq point•

asaanble public record

i. Linda..y involve111ant prlo-199 •"'.r llHlllHIHUOF 780650

(. )

st:apha opodldll (N"atlomrbank --·-------- ------------- ____ _

b.

13.

a.

768

- 9 -

9.

ii. iii.

Cisneros

Iak••' Ward Room undertakinq (l/94) Podesta damaqe control effort

gathGr tactsa. establish contact vith counsel date1:111ine press strateqy/devalop talkinq pointsc.

COnlJ",t'•••ional interest •· assemble binder with s\llll1lary and key documents

10. Brown

a. establish contact with counsel b. talkinq pointsdetermine press strateqy/devalopc, identity•aouroa of aonqraaaional intar•st d, assemble binder with slllJllllary and key docW11ents

11. Hubbell

a. monitor cooperation ,b. dater111ina press strategy/develop talkinq points

12. (uriion repreaantation) ' 11Ic0kGs

monitor b. ane.Dlble binder with sUllllllary and key documents

d. identity source o!

a, monitor b. binder with •Ullllll&rY and key docW11ents assl!llllhle

l4. State Department (passport files) ident:ity i•sua determine. . , b • conqressional

c. assemble binder with SWlllllary and key documents interest

15. (abuse of p rs nnel systea)Archives e o

a. id entify issueb. conqressicnal interestdetet111in11 c. assemble bindar witn summary and key dcc11111ent•

16. SBA (i proper electionaerinq) 111'11!1111UllllUOF' 780£>51 a. identify issue

b. determine conqrassicnal intere t c. assemble binder with summary and key docwnants• &

------ b ,- M"'-GS=-cL::_·_- ---:--:--:--

---:--

------------i. ••••!Ible public record ----------

h

·r.iat·ionship tailura

h

-1•111111111 6F ?80652

769

-------------

(b)

- 10 -

17, GSA (Ro9er Johnson)

a. identity isau•b. dater-min• congressional interest c. assembl• binder with aUllllllary and key document

18, FEC Audit a, determine congressional interest b, assel!lble binder with a\lll!U.ry and key docUl!lents

19. Pre surplus a, identity issueb. determine conqreseional interest c, assemble bind•r vith •Ullllll&ry and k•y docU1uenta

20, MGSL-related

a. Whitewater nveatJ&ent

L .assalllble public record ii. reviav doclll!lenta, including vork ot

•ccountant •.and· t.a:>c returne1 Lyons reportsUi. develop tact ·.J1--.o and chrono1ogy iv. praH 1trateqy

ii. reviev w'c dOClllYlnt• iii. develop fact a..a and c ronoloqyiv. fact atlJIO

(·1) . Vhy HaSL td.llld; of cupai'iJI\ contribution• to

(2) :Rose Lav rira work 1RRC 1985)

(a) contlicblenablad··HCSL to.·atay open lon<;1er t an it should hava

v. · surroqat• atrat&9Y

c. Ito•• Law Fin

i. tact auo

(1) atatua of ccntlicta inquiry C2) Froat.ca ..••I

b.

770

- 1l -

(J) Roce services to FSLIC ralatad to taaatar brokeraqa firs (HRC 2 hours in 19871 siqnad pleadinq• for VF)

(4) billinq practices.

ii. as semb le public raccrd iii. daterm.ina prass strategy

d. David Kala 21. Other Pra•Xnauqural

a. Gubernatorial Campaiqns

i. identify issues

(1) whether expandituras and loans ware p roper ly raported undar s tate law

(a) Lindsey role (b) Bat.say Wriqht

(2l role o th• !!•nlt

(3) Starr looking at 1984,

ii. intel:'View Kendall; review iii. interview snydar/Lindsey iv. fact IHlllC v. press s trat•w

Naqativa Association•

L Jim. auy Tuc:karii. David Hala (BBA) iii. Jim McOouqal iv. Dan Lasater (bond deals, cocaine, Roger

Clinton]

c, Mana Airport

i. identity issue ii. dete1:111ina conqressional interest iii. aasembla bindar with sWllllla.ry and key

dccUlllenta 11111111111d, ADFA

(political favors) determine conqres sionai !nteraat• G

OF 780653 i. identify issue ii.

of Chm:-ry Valley

1986, 1990

Kandall documents

i.

771

- 12 -

iii. assallbl• bind•r with swmary and key docwaant•

•· Use by Governor Clinton ot loan• to turther leqislative initiative•

i. identify issue ii. det•rmin• conq:r:•••ional int•r••t iii. ••••-.bl• binder with swzm.ary and kay

docwa•nt•

t. Cclllllloditi ..

i. det•r111ina congressional l"tarastii. •••elllbl• binder with a ry and key

docu111ants

Paula Jonas q.

as•embla binder with •U111111a.ry and key docUlllant•

h. 'l'roop•r•

i. identify iasua (job for •ilance, othnr) ii. d•t•rm.ine conqressional interest iii. ••••llble binder with aUJ11J11ary and kay

docUJ11ents•11J6

11111111111OF' '780654