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Disgraced Clinton Adviser Fails To Link First Lady, Fbi Files Search Morris Statement To House Undercuts Claim In Tabloid

Associated Press

Former presidential adviser Dick Morris told Congress Monday that he told a prostitute “everyone thinks” Hillary Rodham Clinton was behind the FBI file search, but that he was relating polling data and not firsthand knowledge.

“I have no personal knowledge or information from any source whatsoever as to who was responsible for ordering the FBI files,” Morris said in a sworn statement to the House Government Reform and Oversight Committee.

It was the first time that Morris publicly acknowledged a relationship with Sherry Rowlands, although pictures of the pair were published in a tabloid newspaper. The disclosure in The Star that Morris had a longtime relationship with Rowlands forced his resignation Aug. 26 from the Clinton team.

Last week, The Star published what it said were excerpts of Rowlands’ diary. She wrote that Morris told her Hillary Clinton ordered the FBI background files on current and former White House employees, including some high-ranking Republicans.

In his statement, responding to an inquiry from Rep. William Clinger, R-Pa., Morris acknowledged telling Rowlands that “everyone thinks it’s Hillary” who was responsible for the FBI files controversy.

But he said his remark was based on an opinion poll conducted June 18-19 that showed 39 percent of the people thought the Clintons were “responsible for a lot of wrongdoing” and 74 percent linked Hillary Clinton to the FBI files issue.

“This poll data was the basis of any such remarks made by me,” Morris insisted in the sworn statement, made public late Monday by the House committee.

Clinger, chairman of the committee, called Morris’ response the latest in a “long line of denials” concerning the Clintons’ involvement in the FBI files controversy and other matters.

“Dick Morris’ statement doesn’t get us any closer to finding out the truth,” Clinger said in a statement.

Ed Amorosi, spokesman for the committee, said Clinger anticipates receiving records from Morris to confirm his story, including records on the poll he cited.