-Caveat Lector- XXXXX DRUDGE REPORT XXXXX TUESDAY, AUGUST 31, 1999 21:44:09 ET XXXXX RENO AND FREEH AGREE ON NEW INDEPENDENT PROBE OF WACO **Exclusive** Attorney General Janet Reno and FBI Director Louis Freeh have jointly agreed on calling for of an "outside investigation" into their agencies' failure to disclose the use of incendiary devices during Waco, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned. The move comes one day after the situation turned critical when a Waco federal prosecutor warned Reno that lawyers within her department had long withheld evidence that the FBI fired pyrotechnic tear gas within hours before the compound burned... MORE... JUSTICE DEPT FIGHTS JUDGE OVER CONTROL OF EVIDENCE Meanwhile, the DALLAS MORNING NEWS is reporting in hot Wednesday editions: U.S. Justice Department lawyers on Tuesday challenged a federal judge's authority to take control over evidence in the Branch Davidian case, setting up a high-stakes legal showdown. Judge Smith's ruling came as a result of a motion filed by the Texas Department of Public Safety [DPS] which had been housing the evidence. The motion argues that the DPS believed the Justice Department was using them in order to keep the evidence from being available to the public. In a 19-page motion, Justice lashed out at U.S. District Judge Walter Smith: "It should be plain... that separation of powers prevents a federal court from acting as an independent investigator..." The Justice Department argued: The judge's move "threatens a wholesale intrusion" into the Executive Branch and an "unwarranted and substantial burden" on the entire federal government. MORE... "The Justice Department is pretending it now wants an independent investigation, and at the same time they are doing this: hiding the evidence," observed one insider. MORE... DALLAS MORNING NEWS reporter quotes DPS commission Chairman James Francis Jr.: "I think it's very unfortunate that the Justice Department would try to prevent the federal court in Waco from gaining access to all of the evidence in light of everything that's happened in the last week... From what I can understand of the Justice Department's motion today, they're still attempting to prevent the evidence from being judicially reviewed. And I think that is most unfortunate." [Editor's note: Francis is a political appointee of Texas Gov. George Bush. He is also a top fund-raiser for Bush's presidential campaign. Francis told NEWSWEEK that his involvement in the developing Waco situation was pure coincidence. "I'm trying not to be political," he told the magazine, adding he hasn't even talked to Bush about new Waco revelations.] DALLAS MORNING NEWS reporter Hancock also follows up on Tuesday's blockbuster -- that a federal prosecutor is in possession of documents that point to a Justice Department cover-up of Waco. Bill Johnston, the longstanding federal prosecutor in Waco, gives further detail on the three page document in his possession: "I have evidence that these notes were in the possession of the torts branch. I know that the lawsuit [a wrongful death suit filed on behalf of the victims of Waco] began to focus on these issues of whether pyrotechnics were used several years ago, and the plaintiff's attorneys, who were alleging their use, specifically requested any documents the government had like this. I know that the plaintiffs never got the document once its full importance was known. And I now wonder whether the attorney general had knowledge of these. I'll bet Ms. Reno would have liked to have known long ago what this document contained." Developing hot... ----------------------------------------------------------- Filed by Matt Drudge Reports are moved when circumstances warrant http://www.drudgereport.com for updates (c)DRUDGE REPORT 1999 DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance—not soapboxing! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credeence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
