Reno Rejects Calls for Independent Probe

WASHINGTON — Atty. Gen. Janet Reno faced off Wednesday against Senate Republicans who accused her of conflict of interest, telling a Senate committee that she will not give in to pressure “from Congress nor anyone else” to seek an independent counsel to investigate Democratic fund-raising practices.

Clashing with members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Reno insisted that “I’ve got to go by the facts” in her oft-stated decision to keep the inquiry in the hands of career prosecutors and the FBI.

Panel chairman Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah) and other GOP members said that Reno was misreading the law and ignoring a clear conflict of interest on her part.

Citing public opinion polls that show nearly 60% approval for appointment of an independent counsel, Hatch said: “The time has come for Atty. Gen. Reno to consider the public’s skepticism regarding her decision.”

But Reno replied: “I’m not going to do things based on polls. I’m going to do them based on evidence.” If evidence emerges of an actual conflict of interest, she said, she would change her mind.