Congressional Record—Senate S7329
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July 9, 2001 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7329 many years. Mr. Olson told the Senate Olson’s work in connection with that upstanding individuals the victims of that he was paid from $500 to $1,000 for article, or for the magazine at any partisan attacks. The deeply partisan his articles that appeared in the Amer- time, involved factual investigation of vote over the Solicitor Generalship was ican Spectator magazine, whereas his the Clintons. Comparing the publicly- a low point. I strongly believe that firm received $94,405 for legal services. available applicable Federal criminal every nominee deserves fairness in this The attempt to create a conflict on code provisions, to publicly-available process and a full chance to get his or this issue requires mixing apples with newspaper stories concerning allega- her position into the record and consid- oranges. There were two different types tions regarding the Clintons, cannot be ered. It is not right to leave the record of payments, for different types of serv- described as an ‘‘investigation’’ of the incomplete. I hope that, by setting the ices. In his April 19 answers, Mr. Olson Clintons. record straight, the Senate can move explained that in addition to the $500 While there were other factual inac- on and treat future nominees more to $1,000 fees he received for the arti- curacies in the attacks on Mr. Olson, fairly. cles, his law firm ‘‘has received pay- this list demonstrates that the con- f ments for legal services rendered to the cerns raised regarding Mr. Olson’s can- [American Spectator] Foundation from dor before the Judiciary Committee THE VERY BAD DEBT BOXSCORE time to time, by me and by others at were unjustified. Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, at the the firm, at our normal market rates.’’ It is particularly noteworthy that close of business Friday, July 6, 2001, Given that those legal fees were for Robert Bennett, one of the most nota- the Federal debt stood at legal services provided to the magazine ble lawyers in this country and counsel $5,710,979,327,576.62, five trillion, seven over a period of more than 5 years, in- to then-President Clinton, rejected the hundred ten billion, nine hundred sev- volving the work of several attorneys, claim that Mr. Olson was less than can- enty-nine million, three hundred twen- the $94,405 figure is in no way sur- did in his responses to the Senate Judi- ty-seven thousand, five hundred sev- prising. More significantly, Mr. Olson ciary Committee. More than almost enty-six dollars and sixty-two cents. at all times distinguished between the any other person, he knows that facts One year ago, July 6, 2000, the Fed- firm’s legal fees, and the separate, of the Clinton matters. During an eral debt stood at $5,665,885,000,000, five comparatively modest amounts he re- interview with Wolf Blitzer on CNN on trillion, six hundred sixty-five billion, ceived personally for writing articles May 22, Mr. Bennett stated: ‘‘I have re- eight hundred eighty-five million. for the magazine. It is, again, a factual cently read [Mr. Olson’s] responses to Twenty-five years ago, July 6, 1976, mistake to suggest that he ever sought the Senate, and I have looked at a lot the Federal debt stood at to confuse those two amounts. of the material, and if I were voting, I $613,075,000,000, six hundred thirteen Fourth, some have criticized Mr. would say that Ted Olson was more billion, seventy-five million, which re- Olson for allegedly refusing to respond than candid with the Senate.’’ Mr. Ben- flects a debt increase of more than $5 to an allegation about American Spec- nett is independent; he had no partisan trillion, $5,097,904,327,576.62, five tril- tator dinner parties. I question wheth- axe to grind in favor of Mr. Olson in lion, ninety-seven billion, nine hundred er the Senate should even get into this connection with this nomination; he, four million, three hundred twenty- issue of who attended what dinner par- in fact, was a lead counsel for Presi- seven thousand, five hundred seventy- ties, given the absence of any serious dent Clinton for several years; he was six dollars and sixty-two cents during issue here, and the freedom of speech not maneuvering for advantage in fu- the past 25 years. and press values inherent in a maga- ture nomination battles; he is a lawyer f zine’s activities. But this particular al- experienced in weighing evidence and legation was dubious and made by a cross-examining witnesses; he looked ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS source who publicly contradicted him- at the evidence; and his conclusion self on this very allegation. The allega- that these allegations are ill-founded is tion appeared only in the pages of the IN RECOGNITION OF REVEREND worthy of our respect. HURLEY J. COLEMAN SR. Washington Post. No Senator asked I agree wholeheartedly with Mr. Ben- Mr. Olson about that particular allega- nett. I too have reviewed Mr. Olson’s ∑ Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, today I tion, and we have never imposed on statements before the committee re- acknowledge the life and accomplish- nominees of either party an obligation garding his role in the ‘‘Arkansas ments of a distinguished and principled to track down and respond to every far- Project,’’ and I find Mr. Olson’s state- public servant who served as a minister fetched or baseless charge that might ments to be clear and accurate. in my home State of Michigan, Rev- find its way into print. Moreover, one The Washington Post editorial board erend Hurley J. Coleman Sr. Today, member of the committee did make an also shares this view. On May 18, after people will be gathering in Saginaw, inquiry about Mr. Olson’s social con- all of the questions regarding the ‘‘Ar- MI, to pay tribute to and celebrate the tacts with employees of the American kansas Project’’ had been raised, the life of a man who for nearly five dec- Spectator and Mr. Olson fully answered Washington Post endorsed Mr. Olson’s ades, served as a leader, spiritual men- that question in writing. So it is factu- nomination to be Solicitor General, tor and role model in his community. ally incorrect to state that he refused noting ‘‘Mr. Olson is one of Washing- Throughout his life, Reverend Cole- to respond to that question. ton’s most talented and successful ap- man dedicated himself to serving his Fifth, Mr. Olson’s statement that his pellate lawyers, a man who served with family, his church and his God. The es- legal services for the American Spec- distinction in the Justice Department teem in which he was held by all who tator magazine were not for the pur- during the 1980s and whose work is knew him is due to the fact that Pastor pose of conducting investigations of widely admired across party lines.’’ Ac- Coleman’s life was a powerful testi- the Clintons is allegedly contradicted cording to the Washington Post, ‘‘Mr. mony to the message he preached by the fact that Mr. Olson’s firm was Olson’s prior service at the Justice De- weekly at Coleman Temple Church of compensated for legal research to pre- partment indicates that he under- God in Christ. pare a chart outlining the Clintons’ stands the difference between the roles Considered one of the deans of the criminal exposure, as research for a of private citizen and public servant.’’ Saginaw clergy, Pastor Coleman’s ca- February 1994 article Mr. Olson co-au- As for Mr. Olson’s testimony regarding reer had a humble beginning. Licensed thored entitled, ‘Criminal Laws Impli- his role in the ‘‘Arkansas Project,’’ the as a minister in the Church of God in cated by the Clinton Scandals: A Par- Washington Post concluded that Christ in 1953, Pastor Coleman’s first tial List.’ This charge again is contra- ‘‘there’s no evidence that his testimony congregation gathered for worship in dicted by record facts. The 1994 engage- was inaccurate in any significant way,’’ his home. A short four years after the ment letter for Mr. Olson’s professional and that ‘‘the Democrats would be inception of this congregation, they services expressly provided that Mr. wrong to block Mr. Olson.’’ [Emphasis broke ground for a new church. This fa- Olson and his firm were not engaged added.] cility now serves over 300 members—an ‘‘to do any independent factual re- The Senate thus far has not done a amazing number considering that the search.’’ In fact, there is nothing in the good job of reviewing President Bush’s Pastor’s first congregation included public record to suggest that Mr. nominees, and in many cases has made only six members. VerDate 11-MAY-2000 01:30 Jul 10, 2001 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00037 Fmt 0637 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A09JY6.035 pfrm02 PsN: S09PT1 S7330 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 9, 2001 During his tenure as pastor, Hurley shire’s 2-week institute for school pro- ADDITIONAL COSPONSORS Coleman played a pivotal role in the fessionals recognizes the efforts of ad- S. 258 struggle for racial equality and other ministrators and teachers who develop At the request of Ms. SNOWE, the civil rights causes. In these efforts, he programs that provide nutritional and name of the Senator from South Da- has been able to unite people of dif- fitness instruction for the youth of the kota (Mr. JOHNSON) was added as a co- ferent races and denominations around state. Now in its fifth year, the insti- sponsor of S.