Editorials
Tuesday, December 3, 1996
Congress should probe
foreign contributions
ATTORNEY General Janet Reno, who has been resisting hints from the White House that she should resign, has presumably pleased her boss, President Clinton, by rejecting a Republican request for an independent counsel's investigation into fund-raising by the Democratic Party from foreign sources. It would be crass to suggest that this was a quid pro quo, but it certainly doesn't look good.
The explanation for the rejection was that no "specific, credible evidence" had been found that "any individual covered by the provisions of the Independent Counsel Act has committed any federal crime." But Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who had requested the investigation, responded that it was his strong belief that "the facts before us meet the test when other independent counsel have been called for in the past."
Other observers have pointed out that the finding was based on a literal reading of a letter sent by the Republicans a month ago. Since then important additional facts have emerged. Moreover, the attorney general's decision follows a series of coverups on this issue by the White House that were described on this page Saturday by Jack Germond and Jules Witcover as smelling "to high heaven." In his column on this page today, William Safire details some of these issues.
Since the attorney general refuses to act, the Republicans should now proceed with a congressional investigation. With the Democrats forced to return $1.5 million in campaign contributions because they came from foreign sources and were apparently illegal, there is a solid basis for an investigation to determine what if anything the contributors were supposed to get for their money.
Although the Republicans have understandably seized on this issue, the initial disclosures came from independent sources and cannot be dismissed as overtly partisan. The story was broken by the Los Angeles Times, followed by the New York Times. These are among the most respected organizations in journalism.
Nor can the charges be dismissed as race-baiting, although the principals thus far mentioned have all been Asians. It is not racist to raise the issue against Asians when the facts seem to warrant it.
Some Asian Americans feel that this expose of apparently illegal Asian political contributions has reflected unfairly on them. That is regrettable, and we fully support the right of Asian Americans to participate in the political process on the same basis as other citizens. However, unjustified claims of racism should not prevent the investigation from proceeding, by an independent counsel or congressional committee.
Legalize pepper spray
TOMORROW the City Council has the opportunity to make Honolulu's streets a little safer - or at least to allow law-abiding citizens to believe that they are. The Council is expected to permanently legalize the sale of pepper spray, after an 18-month trial period.
The City Council should approve its use and give residents an early Christmas present.
Okinawa agreement
THE United States has agreed to substantially reduce the area occupied on Okinawa by American forces but to maintain the number of U.S. troops based on the island at 28,000. This does not please most Okinawans, who have campaigned for years for the withdrawal of all American troops. But it maintains the U.S. defense posture in East Asia, which is vital to the stability of the region.
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Rupert E. Phillips, CEO
John M. Flanagan, Editor & Publisher
David Shapiro, Managing Editor
Diane Yukihiro Chang, Senior Editor & Editorial Page Editor
Frank Bridgewater & Michael Rovner, Assistant Managing Editors
A.A. Smyser, Contributing Editor