Democrats consider subpoenas for Tripp, Goldberg, Starr deputiesWASHINGTON (AllPolitics, November 19) -- Some Democratic members of the House Judiciary Committee want to subpoena Linda Tripp, and several deputies of Independent Counsel to force them to give depositions in the impeachment inquiry against President Bill Clinton, CNN has learned. But congressional sources say that not all Democrats are happy at the prospect, questioning the wisdom of such a strategy at a time when Democrats are pushing Republicans to bring the inquiry to a quick conclusion. Two sources familiar with the plan to push for subpoenas tell CNN the move is being instigated by Rep. Maxine Waters, D-California, and other committee liberals in response to GOP efforts to expand the impeachment inquiry to include charges that Clinton groped former White House volunteer Kathleen Willey near the Oval Office. Clinton has denied Willey's charge. Tripp's recordings of her telephone conversations with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky brought into the public arena Clinton's sexual relationship with Lewinsky. Goldberg is a New York literary agent and friend of Tripp who urged her to make the tape recordings. Sources say the Democratic liberals also were considering issuing subpoenas to Starr deputies Jackie Bennett, Robert Bittman and perhaps one or two other prosecutors, part of an effort to question the tactics used during the independent counsel's investigation. But the idea of issuing subpoenas was meeting resistance from several senior Democrats on the Judiciary Committee, sources tell CNN. They question whether it would undermine the party's strategy of labeling the investigation unfair and calling on Republicans to bring it to a quick end. The Democrats was expected to meet to discuss the strategy at the conclusion of Starr's testimony before the Judiciary Committee. White House Correspondent John King contributed to this report. |
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MORE STORIES:Thursday, November 19, 1998
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