White House Argues Report Is Partisan; Reagan Silent on It

The White House, taking advantage of dissenting views in the Iran-Contra report from Congress, argued today that the conclusions were “predictably partisan” and offered nothing new but “the subjective views of the members.”

Reagan had no immediate personal comment on the report and was kept at a distance from reporters during two events in the old executive office building adjacent to the White House.

Presidential spokesman Marlin Fitzwater said Reagan received the report today and was briefed “on many aspects” of it by White House counsel A. B. Culvahouse.

“The President did not violate any laws. Even the majority report does not so state,” Fitzwater said. “We are moving on. And we trust that out of this experience has come a new wisdom about the process of governing in America.”

Gary Bauer, the President’s assistant for policy development and a leader of conservative forces in the White House, said the conclusions were “predictably partisan, one last attempt to discredit a President they were never able to defeat at the polls.”

He said the country wants the White House to “get on with business and not dwell on this any more.”

Fitzwater said there was nothing new in the report that White House officials had not seen during the televised hearings “except the subjective views of the members.”