Dan Burton: “about 4 or 5 weeks ago I took a special order talking about a judge in Arkansas, in Little Rock, a Federal judge who has…”

“about 4 or 5 weeks ago I took a special order talking about a judge in Arkansas, in Little Rock, a Federal judge who has close political ties to the current Governor, Jim Guy Tucker, and President Clinton, and particularly the First Lady, Hillary Rodham Clinton. Judge Henry Woods has been a longtime political adviser to the President and to Mrs. Clinton. He has appointed her to a number of boards. He recently was given a case involving the current Governor, Jim Guy Tucker, which was brought to his attention and put before his court by Mr. Starr, who is investigating the Whitewater matter and other related matters. At that time, when I had my special order. I suggested that in order to eliminate any appearance of impropriety, Judge Henry Woods should recuse himself and not be the judge to hear this case, because no matter what he did, if he rendered a decision in favor of Mr. Tucker, Governor Tucker, it would have the appearance of impropriety. One of the other judges down there in a related case dealing with Webb Hubbell, who was indicated and convicted, you remember Webb Hubbell, he was the Assistant Attorney General appointed by President Clinton, did recuse himself. He did it because he felt like the appearance of impropriety was something that should not even be considered by a Federal judge. I urged during my special order that Judge Henry Woods recuse himself, as the other Federal judge did in a related case, but Judge Henry Woods did not do that.”