William R. Richardson: “I rise today to ask 81 Republicans to apologize to Mrs. Clinton. Some have charged that Mrs. Clinton unethically sought…”

“I rise today to ask 81 Republicans to apologize to Mrs. Clinton. Some have charged that Mrs. Clinton unethically sought to profit from her investment in Value Partners, a limited partnership investment fund. The charge is absurd. In fact, on February 10, Stephen Potts, the Director of the Office of Government Ethics, and a Bush appointee, responded to an inquiry from several Republican Members. Potts flatly stated that there was no basis for investigating the First Lady's investment under any applicable Federal ethics laws. In spite of that response, 1 month later, 81 House Republicans sent the Office of Government Ethics a letter asking for an investigation--a bald-faced effort to keep a nonissue alive. Mr. Speaker. The facts on this matter are clear: First, Mrs. Clinton has never had any input, control, or review of investment decisions made by Value Partners. Second, Mrs. Clinton has not spoken to the investment manager, William Smith, since the summer of 1992 and did not discuss stocks with him at that time. Third, in July of 1993, the Value Partners investment was placed in the Clinton's blind trust. Mr. Speaker, due to the administration's policies, the economy is growing, jobs are being created and the deficit is shrinking. The Republicans cannot attack the Clintons on substance so, instead, they are hitting Mrs. Clinton with baseless and absurd charges.”