Reno Rebuff On Craig’s Mind Senator Says Failure To Name Counsel Justifies Impeachment

U.S. Sen. Larry Craig says the Senate Judiciary Committee should launch an investigation into whether Attorney General Janet Reno should be impeached.

Craig also said he would support Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch if he conducted a probe into impeaching President Clinton, but Craig will not introduce a Senate resolution to do so.

Reno’s failure to review allegations against the administration warrants the probe, the Idaho Republican said Thursday.

Reno this week announced she would not seek an independent counsel to investigate telephone fund-raising calls made by Clinton and Vice President Al Gore. But she said the Justice Department study is continuing and she would not hesitate to seek an independent counsel if evidence of criminal wrongdoing emerges.

“We now know the price of admission into a second term and that’s protecting her boss,” Craig said. “I think the American people want this whole mess circulating around the president to be concluded. If Janet Reno had appointed an independent counsel, it would have met the wishes of a majority of the American people.”

He said she sidestepped the issues of Chinese influence and money-laundering of labor unions.

“I am now of the opinion an investigation of impeachment would be more fruitfully directed at Janet Reno,” Craig said. “I believe the Judiciary Committee of the U.S. Senate should begin that investigation.”

However, an impeachment investigation of Reno would have to begin in the House Judiciary Committee under the U.S. Constitution, said Jeanne Lopatto, press secretary for the Senate committee.

She said Hatch in general has not called for impeaching Reno.

The House Judiciary Committee will continue the search for answers, panel spokesman Sam Strateman said.

”(But) she has not broken the law,” he said.

U.S. Rep. Helen Chenoweth is one of 17 Republicans who support a resolution calling for a probe into impeaching Clinton.

“Senator Craig is right. Investigating Reno is a good idea, and the House can do it because that’s where articles of inquiry and articles of impeachment must originate,” said Chenoweth spokesman, Chad Hyslop.

“But we must also address President Clinton’s abuse of office, because even if Reno is impeached, Clinton could simply appoint another attorney general just as conveniently blind to the need for an independent counsel.”

Craig said he does not believe the Senate is inclined to conduct a probe into impeaching Clinton.

“We have at this time no confirmed legal basis for impeachment,” he said.

“I think if this administration completes its second term, history will regard it as one of the most corrupt, if not the most corrupt, administrations in the history of the country.”