On the presidential campaign trail, Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole demurred when asked if the Senate should extend its Whitewater hearings.
Dole said he was leaving that question to the Senate committee, which is chaired by his campaign co-chairman, Sen. Alfonse M. D’Amato (R-N.Y.)
But the Kansas Republican did indeed push, albeit unsuccessfully, for legislative changes that could have kept the hearings going for months more, congressional officials confirm.
Under the original resolution creating the committee in May 1995, it had to complete its work by Feb. 29. D’Amato sought an unlimited extension, claiming more time was needed for matters such as the 1993 suicide of White House deputy counsel Vince Foster and Hillary Rodham Clinton’s legal work for the Madison Guaranty Savings & Loan.
His move infuriated Democrats and bitter bargaining ensued. Finally, Senate leaders agreed on April 17 to an extension to June 14, but no later.
The panel, which had already spent about $950,000, would be given an additional $450,000 for what may have already been the longest-running special committee ever.
As is custom, both sides prepared a colloquy outlining the deal and to be read on the Senate floor.
While D`Amato and Democratic Senators Tom Daschle (S.D.) and Paul Sarbanes (Md.) were preparing the colloquy, a top Dole aide brought out a copy of the colloquy on which Dole had inserted three words in his handwriting-“at this time.”
Thus, the accord would say that it was Dole’s understanding “at this time” that there would be no further hearings after the June 14 deadline.
Those words were critical since they raised the prospect that the the deadline might later be extended once again, thereby undermining the final agreement.
Eventually, Daschle spoke to Dole privately. Dole agreed to prepared remarks that didn’t say “at this time,” according to the final text of the April 17 colloquy, as well as congressional officials present during the negotiations. , who spoke on condition that their names not be used. Dole could not be reached for comment Friday.
Recent subpoenas issued by the committee and interviews with staffers indicate that the Senate investigation has mushroomed into new areas, including far-flung allegations of chicanery among Arkansas’ political elite.
Upcoming hearings will focus on matters including the awarding of state office leases to a McDougal real estate firm. Also, D`Amato’s staff will explore whether Arkansas officials in 1985 improperly awarded a $30.2 million bond contract to Lasater & Co., a Little Rock investment firm operated by high-flying influence peddler Dan Lasater.
In 1986, Lasater was convicted of cocaine possession and trafficking, and Clinton’s half-brother Roger was convicted of drug possession in a related case.
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