Rep. Dan Burton

Re “Portions of Hubbell Prison Tapes Released,” May 5: The lack of integrity shown by Rep. Dan Burton (R-Ind.) in his handling of the Webster Hubbell tapes should offend even the most die-hard Clinton critics.

His actions serve to do several things, none of which is remotely beneficial to his “investigation.” It creates the illusion of a smear campaign, which subtracts credibility from any tangible evidence or claims and gives credence to the “vast right-wing conspiracy” charge. Who in this country couldn’t be made to look suspect if the government taped your phone conversations, doctored them up to present you in an unflattering manner and then released them to the press?

Perhaps most troubling is Burton’s implying that he released the doctored tapes to the media because “Mr. Hubbell has asserted his 5th Amendment rights not to cooperate with this committee.” Is he serious? Could the penalty for assertion of a constitutional right in this country possibly be national publication of illegally manufactured evidence?

BOB MUELLER

San Diego

* Well doggone! Just when President Clinton’s stock was nearing bottom, those Republicans in the House managed to pull a rabbit out of a hat again. By disavowing the bipartisan tobacco bill crafted, of all people, by the Republican representative from Richmond, Va., they have once again showed their uncanny ability to save Clinton from himself. This one ranks right up there with your shutdown of the government a couple of years ago. Thanks.

EDWIN H. JAFFE

Los Angeles

* When our president said, “They can affect my reputation [but] they can do nothing, for good or ill, to affect my character,” he has it backward (May 1). His character affects his reputation, not the other way around.

LOUIS INNERARITY

Los Angeles