Clinton To Reveal Campaign Material

The White House averted a possible citation for contempt of Congress on Tuesday by acceding to most Republican demands for subpoenaed documents in a House investigation of campaign finance abuses.

In a letter to Rep. Dan Burton, R-Ind., White House counsel Charles F.C. Ruff agreed to produce 2,000 pages of documents immediately, to provide uncensored versions of previously submitted documents by May 28 and to produce other remaining subpoenaed documents to House investigators by June 13.

Ruff repeated past White House assertions that some subpoenaed information was privileged but agreed to provide “logs” that described it so House investigators could decide whether they needed it.

Ruff’s action came after Burton, chairman of the House Government Reform and Oversight Committee conducting the investigation, had threatened to initiate criminal contempt proceedings against White House officials.

Burton’s committee has issued a blanket subpoena for Clinton administration documents relating to campaign finance activities during the 1996 election and separate subpoenas for White House documents relating to key figures in reports of campaign improprieties.