Trent Lott: “I today join the majority of members of the Judiciary Committee in calling on the Attorney General to begin the process…”

“I today join the majority of members of the Judiciary Committee in calling on the Attorney General to begin the process for the appointment of an independent counsel to investigate possible violations of Federal law in connection with fundraising and other activities during the 1996 Presidential election campaign. The independent counsel statute--28 United States Code section 591 and following--provides that the Attorney General shall conduct a preliminary investigation, which is defined as ``such matters as the Attorney General considers appropriate in order to make a determination, whether further investigation is warranted, with respect to each potential violation, or allegation of a violation, of criminal law, when she receives information sufficient to constitute grounds to investigate'' whether certain persons violated any Federal criminal law other than a class B or C misdemeanor. These persons include: First, President and Vice President; Second, persons working in the Executive Office of the President paid at or above level II; Third, chairman and treasurer of the President's reelection committee, or any officer of the reelection committee exercising authority at the national level during the President's term. The test of the sufficiency of the information received is whether or not it is specific and credible. The Attorney General has 30 days to review this information to make the determination. This is a very low threshold test.…”