Reno Argues For Greater Police Powers -- Dec. 11, 1996

Justice Rejects Request For DNC Independent Counsel -- Nov. 29, 1996

Report: Clinton To Keep Reno On

WASHINGTON (AllPolitics, Dec. 12) -- After weeks of deliberately letting her dangle in the wind, President Bill Clinton is now expected to allow Attorney General Janet Reno to stay on for his second term. She and Clinton may meet as early as tonight to discuss her future.

Reports had circulated since the election in November that Clinton was unhappy with Reno's performance. The consensus, however, among several top White House officials has been that the president can't afford politically to get rid of her.

Clinton has Declined to speak on the Reno issue, saying consistently that he wanted to speak to each Cabinet member before making any public statement.

His public statements today remained in that vein. At a photo opportunity in the Cabinet Room with the attorney general sitting directly across from him, the president would only say, "There are four or five of my Cabinet members I haven't yet met with, but I am going to try to get it all done by the end of the week." (160K AIFF or WAV sound)

Aides to the president say he wanted to avoid appearing to be applying pressure on Reno while she Decided whether to appoint special prosecutors to look into Democratic National Committee fund-raising. With those Decisions out of the way (Reno Declined the requests for the prosecutors), Clinton now feels free to talk to her, the aides say.

Clinton says he "might" make some additional Cabinet announcements at a 2 p.m. news conference Friday.

CNN's Wolf Blitzer contributed to this report.