March 14, 1999
Web posted at: 5:58 p.m. EST (2258 GMT)

WASHINGTON (AllPolitics, March 14) -- Clinton administration officials Sunday defended their investigation into alleged Chinese spying at U.S. nuclear weapons labs against a chorus of criticism from Republicans in Congress.

"I launched a thorough review of security at the labs because it became increasingly clear that we had a problem of security," National Security Adviser Samuel Berger said on NBC's "Meet The Press."

"That resulted in 1998 in the president signing a sweeping reform of the labs that now has imposed new security.... I think that we acted appropriately. I think we acted swiftly."

Berger and Energy Secretary Bill Richardson, whose agency oversees the nuclear labs, admitted the Chinese benefited from 1980s information leaks from the Los Alamos laboratory in New Mexico.

Republicans are questioning why allegations of improper contact between the Chinese and a Los Alamos scientist were first raised by a security analyst in 1995 and yet the scientist, Wen Ho Lee, wasn't fired until last Monday.

Lee has been questioned by the FBI, but he has not been charged with any crime. The latest edition of Time magazine reports that Lee attended a 1988 seminar in Hong Kong, and with Chinese officials present, allegedly divulged sensitive information on the miniaturization involved in the design of America's most modern warhead, the W-88.

"This is a very dangerous situation involving international espionage that directly threatens the security of all Americans," said Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona), a GOP presidential hopeful who asked President Bill Clinton to appoint a panel to investigate the charges of Chinese espionage.

Another senior GOP senator, Richard Lugar of Indiana, called for a "very serious review" of America's China policy. On "Meet The Press," Lugar also said the United States should make it clear to China that it will defend Taiwan from any Chinese missile attack.

Republicans, seizing on the Los Alamos case, suggested that Clinton's policy toward China has been seriously tainted by alleged illegal campaign contributions from donors with Chinese ties and from the transfer of satellite technology that may have been used by the Chinese military.

A special congressional commission chaired by Rep. Christopher Cox (R-California) has put together a still-classified report said to take strong issue with the administration's technology transfer policies to China.

House Majority Whip Tom DeLay (R-Texas) said on "Fox News Sunday" that the report would show "an overwhelming shift in policy by this administration that a lot of technology was transferred to China, not just through espionage."

Cox, on ABC's "This Week," said his committee "believes that not only now but for the indefinite future we have serious counterintelligence problems at our national laboratories and elsewhere throughout the government."

But Richardson, on "This Week," said the administration has taken "dramatic steps" in its counterintelligence capabilities. The national labs' security budget has doubled, and background checks have been instituted for scientists from sensitive countries who visit the labs. Lab employees also are subjected to polygraph tests, he said.

Republican presidential candidates Pat Buchanan and Steve Forbes have called for Berger's ouster. But Sen. Bob Kerry (D-Nebraska), vice chairman of the Senate Select Intelligence Committee, said that would be premature.

"I usually advocate show-trials before hangings. But there should be a thorough investigation," he said on CBS's "Face The Nation." "You can't fire people on the basis of allegations."

Republicans in Congress have also complained that the administration didn't alert lawmakers when the Los Alamos allegations first surfaced.

Berger insisted the appropriate congressional intelligence committees were briefed as far back as 1996. Rep. Porter Goss (R-Florida), a former CIA agent who chairs the House Select Committee on Intelligence, disagreed.

"We started to get some briefings. Information was pretty well hidden in a lot of other information that was not highlighted and I think was underplayed," Goss said on "Fox News Sunday." "It stayed underplayed too long, and that was part of the problem."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Sunday, March 14, 1999

• Clinton administration defends handling of Chinese spy charges
• Arkansas homecoming cold, a bit lonely for president

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