The Nation - News from Aug. 15, 1988

Atty. Gen. Richard L. Thornburgh expressed little enthusiasm for Edwin Meese III’s last-minute order to have independent counsels investigate wrongdoing in Congress, and he said that he saw only “a very limited role” for such special prosecutors. Meese’s final act last week as attorney general was to sign an order for special prosecutors to investigate criminal allegations against members of Congress. Democratic lawmakers called it the vindictive act of a man who had himself been investigated by two such prosecutors. Meese said he had discussed the order with Thornburgh, who was sworn into office Friday, and added: “I believe he agrees with it.” But Thornburgh, questioned on CBS-TV’s “Face the Nation,” refused to say whether he would go along with the order. “I haven’t had an opportunity to review the order,” he said from Boston, adding: “I think there should be a very limited role for so-called special prosecutors or independent counsels.”