Congressional Record United States Th of America PROCEEDINGS and DEBATES of the 105 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION
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E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 105 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION Vol. 144 WASHINGTON, TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 1998 No. 49 House of Representatives The House met at 12:30 p.m. voted consistently and unanimously Automated Intelligent Systems, al- f for immunity.' In fact, even during ready immunized by the Department of Iran-Contra the Congressional inves- Justice, testified before a grand jury. MORNING HOUR DEBATES tigative committees voted unani- Instrumental in better understanding The SPEAKER. Pursuant to the mously to grant a limited form of im- Chung's relationships with foreign na- order of the House of January 21, 1997 munity to Oliver North, John tionals with whom he attended politi- the Chair will now recognize Members Poindexter and Albert Hakim. There is cal fund-raising events, formed cor- from lists submitted by the majority no logical reason for the Democrats' porations, and from whom he received and minority leaders for morning hour stonewalling and sharply partisan ac- money. debates. The Chair will alternate rec- tions. Again, even the Department of Nancy Lee, an engineer at Auto- ognition between the parties, with each Justice has clearly stated in writing mated Intelligent Systems, Inc. Wit- party limited to not to exceed 30 min- that they have `no opposition to the nesses say Lee solicited contributions utes, and each Member except the ma- committee granting immunity.' to Clinton/Gore '96 from her colleagues jority and minority leaders and minor- ``The Democrats' efforts to block im- and then reimbursed them. That is, of ity whip limited to not to exceed 5 munity, despite their own administra- course, illegal. Already immunized by minutes. tion's willingness to accept it, cannot the Department of Justice; testified be- f withstand the public's demand for the fore a grand jury. truth. For this reason, I encourage you Larry Wong, close friend of Nora and SPEAKER TROUBLED BY PAR- to vote again on the immunity issue. It Gene Lum. Believed to have relevant TISAN BEHAVIOR DURING CAM- is obvious that these four witnesses information regarding conduit con- PAIGN FINANCE INVESTIGATION would provide a great deal of clarifica- tributions, that is, contributions that tion and a better understanding of the The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. were not really from the person who illegal campaign finance irregularities PRYCE of Ohio). Under the Speaker's made them technically, but they came that took place in the 1996 election announced policy of January 21, 1997, from somebody else, in this case prob- cycle. the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. GING- ``The American people have a right ably foreign money, made by the Lums RICH) is recognized during morning to know exactly what happened during and others. hour debates for 5 minutes. the last election cycle. The very foun- And then under a special arrange- Mr. GINGRICH. Madam Speaker, I dations of a democracy are a well-in- ment, Kent La, president and reg- rise with concern and sadness to report formed populace with the right to istered agent of Loh Sun International. to the House on a letter I am sending know the truth and a rule of law ensur- Believed to have direct knowledge of the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. BUR- ing that all are equal in the eyes of jus- Ted Sioeng's activities. At a minimum, TON), Chairman of the Committee on tice. Therefore, at this time I strongly La and Sioeng traveled, attended social Government Reform and Oversight, urge you to hold a second vote on functions and at least one fund-raiser, today. I want to read the letter and granting immunity to the four key wit- and transacted business together. The then I want to explain why I am send- nesses who were denied it last week.'' Department of Justice does not oppose ing it and the background of sending it. My hope is that by next week the granting congressional immunity with ``Dear Chairman BURTON: I was deep- Committee on Government Reform and the understanding that the committee ly troubled by the partisan Democrat Oversight could vote. I urge every will only depose La in executive ses- behavior shown last week during the Democrat who voted no, and it was 19± sion at this time. vote on granting immunity, to which 0, 19 against immunity, to reconsider I am submitting for the RECORD the even the Justice Department is not op- their vote. letters from the Department of Justice, posed, to four key witnesses in your I want to report to the House. Here is all of them saying, and I would just campaign finance investigation. what the vote was about. The Depart- read one of them because they are re- ``This is the exact opposite of pre- ment of Justice had cleared, for the petitive: vious congressional investigations, in purposes of giving testimony, three ``Dear Mr. BENNETT: I am writing in which Republican Members worked in a witnesses, and had cleared for the pur- response to your letter of April 7, 1998, diligent and bipartisan manner with poses of testimony in an executive ses- requesting the Department of Justice's Democrats to uncover the truth. Ac- sion a fourth witness. Let me report to position on the granting of immunity cording to David Dorsen, the assistant the House who they are: to Irene Wu. The Department of Jus- chief counsel of the Senate Watergate Irene Wu, Johnny Chung's office tice has no opposition to the Commit- Committee, the `Watergate Committee manager and primary assistant at tee granting immunity to Ms. Wu. We b This symbol represents the time of day during the House proceedings, e.g., b 1407 is 2:07 p.m. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. H2335 H2336 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð HOUSE April 28, 1998 appreciate greatly your coordinating the investigation and any subsequent pros- any other employee of the Justice Depart- with us in this matter.'' ecutions, under the rulings of Kastigar, ment, or any person other than the two staff Madam Speaker, the letters referred North, Poindexter and related cases. members who took Mr. La's deposition or to are as follows: During our discussions with the Commit- the majority and minority chief counsel, tee staff, most recently on April 20, 1998, we until and unless the designated attorney has U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, tried to convey to you that our preference made the determination discussed in No. 5, CRIMINAL DIVISION, would be to avoid any Committee action to above. Washington, DC, April 16, 1998. immunize him. Because of your strong inter- We recognize that under 18 U.S.C. 6005, the Mr. RICHARD D. BENNETT, est in securing his information at this time, Committee has the statutory authority to Chief Counsel, Committee on Government Re- we nevertheless indicated our willingness vote to grant immunity to a witness regard- form and Oversight, Rayburn House Office not to oppose a grant of immunity to Mr. La less of the position of the Justice Depart- Building, Washington, DC. under certain conditions. The Department of ment. We believe, however, that the terms DEAR MR. BENNETT: I am writing in re- Justice, therefore, is willing to withdraw its and conditions set forth above will satisfy sponse to your letter of April 7, 1998, request- objection to the Committee granting immu- the Committee's needs while hopefully pro- ing the Department of Justice's position on nity to Mr. La if, and only if, it agrees to ad- tecting the Justice Department's interest in the granting of immunity to Irena Wu. The here strictly to the following conditions in conducting thorough investigations and Department of Justice has no opposition to examining Mr. La. Based on our discussions prosecutions that are not subject to Kastigar the Committee granting immunity to Ms. with Committee staff, we understand that hearings or related challenges. The Depart- Wu. We appreciate greatly your coordinating these conditions are acceptable to the Com- ment has determined that if the Committee with us on this matter. mittee. The conditions that the Committee were to grant Mr. La immunity under 18 Sincerely, agrees to follow in return for the Depart- U.S.C. 6005 at this time and absent the re- MARK M. RICHARD, ment of Justice withdrawing its objection to strictions outlined above, it would clearly Acting Assistant Attorney General. the Committee granting immunity to Mr. La compromise the Department's ongoing are: criminal investigation and make it more dif- U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, 1. The Committee will take Mr. La's depo- ficult to obtain convictions of any person(s) CRIMINAL DIVISION, sition in a closed executive session attended Washington, DC, April 16, 1998. who might eventually be charged with a only by Mr. La, his counsel, one staff mem- crime. Mr. RICHARD D. BENNETT, ber from the Majority, one staff member Sincerely yours, Chief Counsel, Committee on Government Re- from the Minority, and a court reporter. form and Oversight, Rayburn House Office MARK M. RICHARD, 2. The reporter will make only two copies Acting Assistant Attorney General. Building, Washington, DC. of the deposition transcript. DEAR MR. BENNETT: I am writing in re- 3. The Committee staff who took the depo- So what happened is this: The chair- sponse to your letter of April 7, 1998, request- sition will be provided one copy of the depo- man of the committee and his staff ing the Department of Justice's position on sition transcript and will maintain that copy worked very closely with the Clinton the granting of immunity to Nancy Lee.