Reno Argues Clinton Need Not Testify in Person in Arkansas
Atty. Gen. Janet Reno filed a motion Tuesday supporting President Clinton’s view that he should not be forced to testify in person at the Whitewater-related trial of James B. McDougal, ex-wife Susan McDougal and Arkansas Gov. Jim Guy Tucker.
Reno told the court that it would be an “unwarranted interference” in the nation’s business for the president to be questioned in person. His attorneys are offering to make him available to be questioned on videotape.
Attorneys for the defendants were angered by Reno’s intervention in the case, which is being tried by independent counsel Kenneth W. Starr. An independent counsel was appointed on Whitewater after Reno decided it would be a conflict of interest for the Justice Department to investigate.
Referring to Reno’s motion, Sam Heuer, James McDougal’s attorney, said: “If that’s not a conflict of interest, I don’t know what is.”
Get the L.A. Times Politics newsletter
Deeply reported insights into legislation, politics and policy from Sacramento, Washington and beyond. In your inbox three times per week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
