Leading Republican Wants Probe Of FBI's Shapiro

WASHINGTON (AllPolitics, Aug. 7) -- A leading Republican called on Wednesday for a probe of FBI general counsel Howard Shapiro's contacts with the White House in the FBI files affair.

Rep. Bob Livingston (R-La.), chair of the House Appropriations Committee, said Shapiro's contacts with the White House were "a gross violation" of the goal of maintaining a fair, impartial FBI.

In a letter to FBI Director Louis Freeh, Livingston wrote: "I am calling for the Department of Justice's Office of Professional Responsibility to conduct a comprehensive investigation of Mr. Shapiro's actions.

"Inappropriate contacts between the White House and the FBI have eroded my confidence in Mr. Shapiro," Livingston wrote.

In the aftermath of the file fiasco, Shapiro notified the White House of an FBI report the bureau was set to provide Congress about the hiring of ex-White House personnel security chief Craig Livingstone. Shapiro also provided White House counsel Jack Quinn a draft copy of a book by a former FBI agent slamming the Clinton White House.

Shapiro has apologized for what he did, and both Attorney General Janet Reno and Freeh have expressed confidence in him.

At issue is how and why the White House collected sensitive, FBI background files on hundreds of ex-White House staff from the Bush and Reagan administrations.

Related Stories:

• White House Says Clinger Improperly Divulged FBI File -- July 26, 1996
• Documents Suggest Hillary Knew Craig Livingstone -- July 25, 1996

Related Sites:

• Howard Shapiro's Opening Statement to the Senate Judiciary Committee -- June 20, 1996
• FBI Report: Dissemination of FBI File Information to the White House

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