White House Draws Fire Over FBI Files

In a report on the FBI files controversy, a divided House committee Tuesday criticized the White House for gathering confidential data on hundreds of Bush and Reagan-era presidential appointees.

Over strong Democratic objections, Republicans on the Government Reform and Oversight Committee approved a report that says the Clinton administration may have been preparing “a political ‘hit list’ or ‘enemies list’ ” in its requests for FBI background files.

Craig Livingstone quit as White House director of personnel security in June after the disclosure that sensitive information had been collected about hundreds of people.

“We know the files were in the hands of political operatives,” said panel Chairman William F. Clinger Jr. of Pennsylvania. “It is clear that the White House security process was a process out of control.”