WASHINGTON-Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) last week disclosed portions of a 1998 memo of a former federal prosecutor that pushed for a probe of President Clinton and Loral Corp. Chairman Bernard Schwartz because of the $1.5 million Schwartz gave to the Democratic National Committee and the waiver Loral obtained from the administration to do satellite business in China.
Ex-prosecutor Charles La Bella, author of the memo, wanted to investigate whether the satellite waiver was given in exchange for the campaign contributions. In addition, La Bella said Vice President Al Gore may have lied to FBI agents about his fund-raising activities.
Attorney General Janet Reno, despite recommendations from La Bella and the FBI to investigate fund raising by the president and vice president, declined to do so.
Loral, among other things, operates a global satellite phone system.
The White House said Specter’s remarks, made during a Senate Judiciary subcommittee hearing last Tuesday, were inappropriate.
