Regular Weekly Media Briefing with Attorney General Janet Reno, The
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05-25-00: REGULAR WEEKLY MEDIA BRIEFING WITH ATTORNEY GENERAL JANET RENO THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE REGULAR WEEKLY MEDIA BRIEFING WITH ATTORNEY GENERAL JANET RENO THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON, D.C. MAY 25, 2000 9:31 A.M. EDT THURSDAY Q (Fed in progress) -- about security of buildings around town, when were you briefed on it, and what was your response? ATTY GEN. RENO: The day before yesterday. "Let's do something about it." Q The allegation was that in the case of the -- the Justice Department was not the only building, but in the case of the Justice Department and the FBI, they were able to get in using, I guess, as in all the buildings, false IDs, declaring that they were police. Have security practices been changed as a result of this report? ATTY GEN. RENO: Yes. Q Can you say in any way -- in what way? ATTY GEN. RENO: No, I've been told that I shouldn't tell people how to get in the building. (Laughter.) Q One of the -- why would that be, do you suppose? http://www.usdoj.gov/archive/ag/speeches/2000/052500ag.htm (1 of 13) [4/28/2009 9:59:15 AM] 05-25-00: REGULAR WEEKLY MEDIA BRIEFING WITH ATTORNEY GENERAL JANET RENO THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (Laughter.) One of the allegations was that the folks posing from the GAO were actually able to drive a van into the Justice Department courtyard. What was your concern about that? ATTY GEN. RENO: Again, I think any time you can create a situation that might make -- create a security problem or create a situation where people could gain access unwarrantedly, we should do something about it. Q Were you surprised at how easy it apparently was for them to get in here and at the FBI and the CIA and the State Department? ATTY GEN. RENO: I was surprised that there were so many. Q Are you at all troubled by the methods that were used or the way this was done? ATTY GEN. RENO: I just hope they've checked everybody. Q Did they -- did those intruders that were your "friends" -- posing as your friends from Miami -- did they penetrate your office? ATTY GEN. RENO: I understood they stood at the doorway there and looked at the conference room. Q (Off mike.) Would that be the normal protcol in these matters? ATTY GEN. RENO: I don't think there is a normal protocol for a case like that. Q Do you think they did -- is this a good thing that has happened? ATTY GEN. RENO: I think any time you expose vulnerabilities, it's a good thing. Q Ms. Reno, you're supposed to go Florida later today. What kind of reception do you expect to get? http://www.usdoj.gov/archive/ag/speeches/2000/052500ag.htm (2 of 13) [4/28/2009 9:59:15 AM] 05-25-00: REGULAR WEEKLY MEDIA BRIEFING WITH ATTORNEY GENERAL JANET RENO THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ATTY GEN. RENO: A mixed. (Short audio break.) Q What do you think of Elian and his dad moving into the District? ATTY GEN. RENO: I understand that they have found Wye remote and that they want to move in. Q Do you have any security concerns about that? ATTY GEN. RENO: I think the marshals are addressing that. Q Ms. Reno, what is the function of the marshals, at all times maintaining a presence with Juan Miguel and his family? Why are they doing that? ATTY GEN. RENO: To ensure security. Q Is it also to make sure that the court order is abided by? ATTY GEN. RENO: I think everybody is doing everything they can on both sides to see that it is. Q Ms. Reno, I understand that -- (off mike) -- Florida today. This is your first trip home since the Elian situation. Any concerns? Are you looking forward to the trip? ATTY GEN. RENO: Yes. Any time I go home, I look forward to it. Q Do you plan any meetings with the exile community while you're there? ATTY GEN. RENO: I am going to be talking with some media that have asked for the opportunity, and I have told everybody that when the time is appropriate, we will try to http://www.usdoj.gov/archive/ag/speeches/2000/052500ag.htm (3 of 13) [4/28/2009 9:59:15 AM] 05-25-00: REGULAR WEEKLY MEDIA BRIEFING WITH ATTORNEY GENERAL JANET RENO THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE make time to have those meetings. Q I'm sorry. I just want to follow up. (Off mike) -- demonstrations, do you plan meeting with some people that expressed opposition to -- ATTY. GEN. RENO: That was the question, then. What I have said is we have suggested to those that are trying to figure out what can be done to -- Excuse me; I need to just look at Pierre. (Laughter.) I want to do -- I don't want to do anything precipitous, and what I have told everyone is that when the time is right, when people think that circumstances and feelings are right, I would want to do anything that I could. Q So you feel like you have to wait until things die down a little bit, until people's feelings are calmed a little bit more? ATTY. GEN. RENO: To do what? Q Before meeting with the community? ATTY. GEN. RENO: I'd like to meet with them when they think it's best to meet with them. Q So you -- ATTY. GEN. RENO: You wouldn't want me to meet with you and force myself on you if you didn't want to meet with me. Q (Chuckles.) So you're going to wait for their signal? ATTY. GEN. RENO: I want to do it in a reasonable, thoughtful way that respects feelings and tensions and gives people time to talk out issues, and then I want to make clear that it is an extraordinary community. It's one I love, and I want to do everything I can to support it and to make it -- bring it together again. Q Ms. Reno, may I ask a question? You apparently have put Taiwan on the national security list and listed that nation http://www.usdoj.gov/archive/ag/speeches/2000/052500ag.htm (4 of 13) [4/28/2009 9:59:15 AM] 05-25-00: REGULAR WEEKLY MEDIA BRIEFING WITH ATTORNEY GENERAL JANET RENO THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE as a threat country to the United States intelligence. The country's representative office, the de facto embassy in Washington, has since come out denying that they had supported or were ever involved in any illegal intelligence- gathering, any -- activities. I am wondering whether you'd offer any comment? ATTY. GEN. RENO: No, I am sorry. I can't. Q This news in the Washington Times article yesterday came as a surprise to a lot of people, both in this country and Taiwan, because the Taiwanese are generally considered as a friendly nation to the States -- to the United States. I'm wondering whether you can comment on whether there is anything that Taiwan has done over the last few years to make Taiwan, you know, get on that list? ATTY. GEN. RENO: It would be inappropriate for me to comment. Q Can you confirm the existence of -- (off mike)? ATTY. GEN. RENO: It would be inappropriate for me to comment. Q Senator Specter indicated yesterday that it will be necessary for you to testify before his committee, which is continuing to look into the background of memos that were written during the early stages of the investigation. Will you testify, or have you been asked yet to testify in the Rules Committee? ATTY. GEN. RENO: Not to my knowledge. I always try to accommodate the Senate's interest in oversight. Q Also, one other oversight question. Congressman Hyde apparently is getting impatient and has been asking for information from the Justice Department, which relates to information that might have been given to the White House related upon grand juries; and how I believe that he is asking that that information be provided within the last three weeks or so. Are you familiar with that request? Do http://www.usdoj.gov/archive/ag/speeches/2000/052500ag.htm (5 of 13) [4/28/2009 9:59:15 AM] 05-25-00: REGULAR WEEKLY MEDIA BRIEFING WITH ATTORNEY GENERAL JANET RENO THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE you think you will be able to comply? ATTY. GEN. RENO: Yes. Yes. Q If I may follow up on Terry's question, what -- has there been throughout the Justice Department's history times when the Department shared grand jury material with the president? And if so -- I gather there was a memo from OLC about it, but how could it be done, given the federal rule, Rule 6-e? ATTY GEN. RENO: There has been an OLC memo. Apparently it did not change the practice that had existed. The president has the authority and the responsibility to see that the laws of the United States are faithfully executed, to conduct foreign policy, and to defend the national security of the country. And if there is information that goes to that, the -- that's what the OLC memorandum addresses. Q So have there been times when information has been shared? ATTY GEN. RENO: We are going through it in detail to see just what we can find in terms of the instances that we may be aware of. Q But is it a practice rarely invoked? ATTY GEN.