Sue Hartigan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: Gingrich Continues Attack on Clinton > WASHINGTON (AP) -- Democratic Leader Dick Gephardt > called on Newt Gingrich today to stay away from the > probe into alleged violations by President Clinton's > 1996 campaign, saying the House Speaker's recent > comments ``demeaned the office which he is privileged > to hold.'' > > ``There is more to the rule of law than after-dinner > rhetoric,'' Gephardt said in remarks on the House > floor. ``The rule of law requires impartial and > competent investigations. It assumes the speaker will > not prejudge the results of these investigations. It > requires, if not charity towards all, at least an > absence of malice.'' > > ``Don't you love him,'' Gingrich replied dismissively. > ``Chutzpah is a word that apparently means Democrat,'' > he added, using a Yiddish word that means ``nerve.'' > > Gephardt's comments marked an escalation of the > rhetorical battle that began when Gingrich accused the > White House and congressional Democrats earlier this > week up covering-up wrongdoing in the 1996 campaign. > > ``There is a ``fairly large and growing scandal in this > country. It is not going away,'' Gingrich, R-Ga., said > on Wednesday. For the first time, he linked the fate of > legislation, a measure to to privde additional support > to the IMF, to the administration's cooperation with > GOP investigators. > > In a letter dispatched to Gingrich today, Gephardt > urged him to recuse himself from ``any consideration of > matters connected to the inquiry into campaign > financing irregularities and related matters.'' Aides > said that was a reference to the possibility that > independent counsel Kenneth Starr will submit a report > outlining evidence of impeachable offenses by Clinton, > and the House will investigate them. > > Gephardt sharply criticized Gingrich's recent comments > about administration officials and congressional > Democrats. ``Apparently, Mr. Speaker, you did not > perceive that your unfortunate remarks demeaned not > those against whom they were directed, but the high > office which you are privileged to hold,'' he said. > > In his own comments on Wednesday, Gingrich mentioned > the IMF legislation. > > ``If the Clinton administration does not turn over > documents and information, if they don't make witnesses > available, they're not in a very strong position to > demand that we give them any money for anything,'' > Gingrich said Wednesday in comments about proposed $18 > billion support for the IMF. > > It marked the third consecutive day that the leader of > House Republicans had spoken out forcefully about > allegations of fund-raising abuses by Clinton's 1996 > re-election campaign. > > And Democrats eagerly joined the fray against a man who > admitted violating House rules in a celebrated ethics > case more than a year ago. > > The Democratic National Committee issued a statement > saying Gingrich -- a handy target for Democratic > campaign ads in 1996 -- had ``continued his re-descent > into the gutter of American politics'' with his new > criticism of Clinton. > > And the president's chief spokesman, Mike McCurry, > suggested the White House might not be able to do > business with Gingrich until ``he comes back to his > senses.'' > > For months, Gingrich has refrained from commenting > about the allegations of sexual wrongdoing and cover-up > that surfaced about Clinton, even though other GOP > leaders have been willing to speak out. And in his > comments to reporters Wednesday, he stressed that he > was talking about alleged fund-raising abuses and > Democratic refusals to assist the Republican > investigation. > > ``This is about lawbreaking. This is not about sex. > This is not about gossip. This is not about soap > operas,'' he said. > > In comments Monday night to GOPAC, a political action > committee he once headed, Gingrich outlined two > principles: that Americans have a right to know the > facts and that no person, ``including the president, is > above the law.'' > > Gingrich's decision to attack Clinton also comes at a > time when he is weighing a possible run for the White > House in 2000, and when Republicans are growing > restless about the upcoming fall elections, saying > their congressional leadership is attempting to coast > to victory. > > Gingrich and his aides denied that politics played a > role in his change in tactics, and his comments about > the IMF legislation the White House is seeking marked > the first link between the scandal and the legislative > agenda. > > He said he had agonized over the weekend about whether > to speak out, and talked with his wife, Marianne, > before doing so. > > His aides said he was influenced by several events, > including the decision by all Democrats on the House > Government Reform and Oversight Committee to oppose > immunity from prosecution for four witnesses in the > campaign fund-raising investigation. > > They did so after attacking Indiana GOP Rep. Dan > Burton, the committee chairman, who recently called > Clinton a ``scumbag.'' > > California Rep. Henry Waxman, the senior Democrat on > the committee, said to Burton: ``I found your remarks > to be both vile and repugnant.'' > > In his comments Wednesday, Gingrich did not mention > Burton's characterization of Clinton. Instead, he said > of Waxman: ``He's become the defense lawyer for the > White House.'' > > However, the House speaker stood up for Burton > Wednesday night at the Indiana Republican State Dinner > in Indianapolis and said the news media had paid too > much attention to Burton's word choice. > > ``Some thought it was too strong and others thought it > was too weak,'' Gingrich said, drawing laughs. ``I > would rather stand next to an honest man who uses a > clumsy word than an illegal man with five sharp > spinners any day of my life.'' -- Two rules in life: 1. Don't tell people everything you know. 2. 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