White House Airs Record of Helicopter Trips

Hoping to calm an uproar over questionable use of presidential helicopters, the White House disclosed Tuesday that aides have taken 12 trips using the aircraft, but officials said none involved misuse of the flights.

The disclosure came as an official who was forced to resign last week for using one of the choppers for a golf outing said he alone--not top White House aides--will cover the $13,129 cost of the trip.

Thirteen White House aides agreed Friday to put up money to reimburse the government for the trip by former White House administrative chief David Watkins and two other aides.

But Watkins said in an interview that he changed his mind Sunday after reading news accounts that quoted former colleagues at the White House who were angered by the obligations he had forced on them. Watkins said the $13,129 cost of the trip was far more than the $2,500 to $3,000 he was told the trip would cost.

“I did not want to create any financial burden for anyone, or create any ill will toward me,” said Watkins, a millionaire businessman who worked for Clinton on his campaigns or as an aide for longer than a decade.

In detailing other trips on presidential helicopters, the White House released a memo briefly describing the flights, which took place from April 29, 1993, to May 24, 1994. Officials said the flights, which excluded presidential and military journeys, showed no misuse of the sophisticated aircraft.

But congressional Republicans who have pressed for a full accounting of the trips said the description did not provide sufficient detail.

“This is just an outline,” said Cheri Jacobus, an aide to Rep. Roscoe G. Bartlett (R-Md.). “The White House’s information has been inconsistent, sporadic and incorrect. We want to know more.”

Bartlett and half a dozen others have been demanding more information since it was disclosed that the three White House officials used one of the $2,380-an-hour helicopters to go golfing last Tuesday at the Holly Hills Country Club near New Market, Md.

Meanwhile, White House Chief of Staff Thomas (Mack) McLarty released a memo saying that from now on, the staff chief or his deputy must approve flights. In their absence, approvals can come from officials of the White House counsel’s office but no longer, as before, from the chief of administration.

Watkins, in the interview, insisted that his golfing trip was justified as part of his duties to examine recreational opportunities for Clinton at Camp David and in the area nearby.

Concerning golf courses, he said: “I think I’m the most knowledgeable person in the White House . . . or at least the most passionate golfer--next to the President.”

Despite Clinton’s earlier statements to a news conference that he was “very angry” about the infraction, Watkins said the President was “very sorrowful” and “very supportive” in their last meeting, in the Oval Office. Indeed, Watkins has told friends that the two old Arkansas friends cried in their parting meeting.