‘Thorough’ Fund-Raising Probe Vowed

The head of a House panel investigating allegations of illegal fund-raising by the White House vowed Saturday to get to the bottom of the mounting controversy and said he would soon issue more subpoenas.

House Government Reform and Oversight Committee Chairman Dan Burton told CNN’s “Evans & Novak” program that he hoped his investigations would not point to an impeachable offense by President Clinton.

“I quite frankly would hope that it would not come to that. I think it would be tragic for the country to have another problem like we had with Watergate,” the Indiana Republican said.

“I would hope the president is not guilty of anything like that,” he said. “If we get to the point where we find information like that, of course we’ll have to take the proper actions. But I hope it never comes to that.”

Rep. Bob Barr (R-Ga.) Friday asked the House Judiciary Committee to hold a meeting to discuss whether campaign fund-raising activities by Clinton and Vice President Al Gore warranted impeachment proceedings.

“We’re going to be very diligent. We’re going to be very fair but very thorough in getting to the bottom of this,” Burton said, referring to his panel’s probe. “I think it’s important for the country. I think it’s important for the presidency and I think it’s important to show that the Congress is doing its job.”

He said further subpoenas would be issued “in the not too distant future,” probably during the next three or four weeks.