Good for You Bernie!

Good for You Bernie!

Friday, April 4th 1997 — President Clinton said Thursday he did not believe it was improper for two senior officials to try to find work for Webster Hubbell just after he resigned and just before he was indicted and went to jail. The President said, "I do not believe they (the phone calls) were improper. From what I know about them, they were just people who were mainly concerned that a man with four children was out of work and they were trying to help him for no other reason than just out of human compassion," He went on to say, "Let me remind you of the critical fact that at the time that was done, no one had any idea what the nature of the allegations was against Mr. Hubbell or whether they were true," Clinton said. "Everyone thought there was some sort of billing dispute with his law firm, and that's all they knew about it." "So no, I do not think there was anything improper." Hubbell has denied that he is withholding information that would be damaging to the president and his wife -- which is, of course what this is all about. Republicans and Special Prosecutor Starr hope they can convince a grand jury that the payments to Hubbell was hush money.

Yesterday, Texas multi-millionaire Bernard Rapoport testified before the Whitewater grand jury studying payments made to Hubbell after he resigned. Rapoport, an insurance executive, was among several friends or political associates of Clinton who provided Hubbell with employment after his resignation and the DNC with mega-contributions in 1995-96. Asked if he was going to testify before the grand jury, Rapoport said, "I'm going to lecture the grand jury." Good for you Bernie! It's time Americans focused on the fact that our constitution guarantees your right to give any amount of money on behalf of your personal political beliefs.

In a non-related, but important story, Attorney General Janet Reno said Thursday a tough new U.S. immigration law that just took effect would lead to more deportations but not massive deportations. Reno said the Justice Department would "vigorously defend the law " against court challenges. "What we want to try to do is to make sure that it is enforced fairly. It's amazing that she had to say this inasmuch as she is the Attorney General whose primary purpose is to make sure laws are enforced "fairly." We are committed to enforcing the law, but to ensuring that it is done so in a just and humane manner," she said. "Our overwhelming efforts will be to focus on those individuals illegally in this country who have engaged in criminal activity. All claims for relief under the law would be handled on a case-by-case basis,"

The most dangerous part of the new law for foreigners ineligible to enter the United States under normal circumstance, is"expedited removal" at ports of entry. Prior to the new law going into effect this week, foreign nationals seeking asylum were not automatically deported. The Justice Department now admits that nearly instantaneous deportation can occur if staff, and supervisors, think that those claiming asylum "do not qualify." Can you imagine the "fair and humane" manner by which these cases will be handled. Sure. Border guards have always been considered sensitive.