Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (March 11, 1997)
News Digest Clinton, FBI argue over Chined election Influence National Security Council officials reportedly kept quiet about Chinese contributions. WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House and the FBI clashed in a rare public quarrel Monday after President Clinton said he should have been alerted when the bureau told na tional security officials that the Chi nese government might be trying to influence U.S. elections. The FBI said it did not try to keep the information from Clinton’s senior staff last year. But the White House said the FBI imposed specific limits that restricted the information to two people on Clinton’s National Security Council staff. “Therefore, the White House con siders the FBI’s statement to be in er ror,” presidential spokesman Mike McCuny said, leaving the FBI and the White House at an embarrassing im passe at day’s end. Four hours earlier, Clinton com plained that he should have been told about the FBI’s suspicions. “It didn’t happen. It should have happened. It was a mistake.” “The president should know,” he said when questioned by a reporter. Indeed, FBI agents had briefed al least one member of Congress aboul the alleged plot as long ago as 1991 during the Bush administration, a con gresswoman said. Late Monday, the FBI issued a statement contradicting White House assertions that the bureau had re stricted the two national security offi cials from telling their bosses about the FBI warning. The statement said senior officials of the bureau’s national security divi sion briefed two senior staff members of the NSC “about the possible covert activities of a foreign government in the United States.” One of the people receiving the briefing was an FBI agent detailed to the NSC. Responding to the FBI’s statement, McCurry said the two NSC officials have been questioned by the White House legal counsel. “They are adamant in recalling specifically that they were urged not to disseminate the information outside the briefing room,” he said. The alleged withholding of infor mation from Clinton seemed even stranger in the wake of revelations that the FBI gave classified briefings—to members of the NSC staff last year and to a member of Congress five years earlier—warning that China was try ing to influence members of Congress with campaign contributions. Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said FBI agents approached her in San Francisco in late 1991 and early 1992 with a caution that China “is going to attempt to get funds into campaigns in the United States.” Pelosi said she heard nothing more about the issue until last June, when the FBI again came to her with simi lar warnings. Democratic Sens. Bar bara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein of California and Daniel Patrick Moynihan of New York said they also received FBI briefings last year. The secret China briefing was the latest development in a series of White House embarrassments on the cam paign fund-raising front. The alleged plot already has be come a factor in U.S.-China relations. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, on a recent visit to Beijing, raised the subject with senior leaders. They de nied the allegations, she said. LAPD chief denied contract Unless city council intervenes, LA’s first black chief will leave July 6. LOS ANGELES (AP) — Police Chief Willie Williams, hired to restore public confidence and department morale after the Rodney King riots, was denied a second five-year contract on Monday. The civilian Police Commission said Monday that Williams failed to become an effective leader of the 12,000-member force. The five mem bers of the commission voted unani mously against renewing his contract, which expires July 6. Williams, 53, said he was disap pointed, but was unclear about what he might do to fight the decision. He insisted he’s done a good job. “We’ve moved forward, we’ve changed. ... A significant portion of this department supports the chief of police—period,” said Williams, who was previously police commissioner in i Philadelphia. .* The city’s first black police chief, Wiliams replaced Daryl Gates in the aftermath of the racial explosion ig nited by King’s videotapedheating by police officers and the riots that erupted in 1992 when officers were acquitted of criminal charges. Unlike his predecessors, the new chief was not chosen from within and did not have the same job protection. The city charter was changed, putting police chiefs under five-year contracts decided by the commission. “As an African-American, the chief quickly became a symbol of posi tive change to the city’s minority com munities as well as to the city at large,” Commission President Ray Fisher said. But Williams “did not take steps to become a respected leader in the department.” The City Council can overrule the commission. That would require agreement by 10 of the 15 council members to consider the issue. Councilman Richard Alatorre said he didn’t think Williams had the votes. “If he hasn’t made any real progress toward—and articulated— a vision for the department in five years, we’re going to wait five more years for that vision to be articulated? I don’t think we can afford to wait,” he said. Mayo- Richard Riordan backed the commission and suggested Deputy Chief Bernard Parks, a black 32-year veteran of the department, be ap pointed interim chief when Williams’ contract ends. Los Angeles Urban League Presi dent John Mack denounced the vote. “Chief Williams came to Los An geles facing a hostile police force in ternally, in which so many of the of ficers were against an outsider and some were against having an African American as chief,” Mack said. “He’s getting the job done and they don’t like how he’s doing it,” said Richard Washington, 42, a black cus tomer at a Crenshaw restaurant. Of the race issue, he said: “This is America — everything has racial overtones.” Big-money politics fail Indian tribe CONCHO, Okla. (AP) — Two impoverished Indian tribes drained their emergency fund" to donate $107,000 to the Democratic National Committee, hoping to regain tribal land taken by the federal government more than a century ago. Since the donation last year, tribal leaders have been wined and dined in Washington. But the land hasn’t been returned, and now tribal leaders say the DNC and Democratic lobbyists are back asking for more money. “Of course we’ve been taken ad vantage of,” Archie Hoffman, secre tary of the Cheyenne-Arapaho tribes’ business committee, said Monday. He conceded that no promises about the land were made. “We weren’t hoping for any short term results,” Tyler Todd, the tribes’ senior adviser on governmental af fairs, said. “We were hoping to make things a little more easy on that long term goal.” White House spokesman Mike McCurry said Monday he didn’t know President Qinton’s reaction to news reports of the tribes’ donation. “I know that he does not feel any contribution should change any legiti mate effort by the government to re view the status of a land claim,” McCurry said. Amy Weiss Tobe, a spokeswoman for the DNC, said her organization was looking into the matter. “The only thing that is clear is there is internal dissension within the tribe,” she said. “The DNC is trying to ascertain the facts and we haven’t been able to talk to tribal leaders and other players yet.” The tribes arc trying to reclaim 7,500 acres the government took in 1869 to build Fort Reno. The fort was closed in 1948 and the land is now used for a federal agricultural research project. The tribes want to turn Fort Reno into a tourist attraction and use the surrounding land for. agriculture. About 80 percent of the tribes’ 10,700 members are unemployed, and the political donation came from an emergency-relief fund that provides $150,000 each year to pay for food, medical care and other necessities, Hoffman said. For their $107,000 donation, about 10 percent of the tribes’ annual rev enue, their leaders got to eat at the White House with President Ginton. Now a tribal faction has asked the DNC to return the money. “We are a poor people and the amount of money donated we cannot afford,” tribal member Melvin WhiteBird said in a statement. COZAD-—A 41-year-old store clerk was shot and killed Monday morning during an apparent robbery attempt at a convenience store. The incident happened around 10:30 a.m. at the Amoco Service Station along Interstate 80, according to Dawson County Attorney Eliza beth Waterman. The name of the victim and the amount of money stolen has not been released. v Police are searching fa a white male in his early 20s, about 6 foot 3 inches tall and about 225 pounds, driving a red Pontiac Grand Am with California plates. He was barefoot at the time of the robbery, and police believe he may be carrying a semiautomatic weapon. Police are also looking for another woman who may have witnessed the shooting. The woman was with a 2-to-3-year-old child, and offi cials are hoping she might provide some more details. Albanian rebels advance, steal jets as army flees TIRANA, Albania — Rebels in southern Albania seized more ter ritory Monday, looting assault rifles, heavy machine guns and MiG fighter planes from government bases as police and army units fled north. In Tirana, President Sali Berisha met with opposition leaders to discuss the composition of a new coalition government to run the country before elections held by June. Opposition politicians, however, do not control the armed civilians, who have said they will accept nothing less than Berisha’s resignation. Berisha agreed to the election and new government in an attempt to quell the rebellion, sparked by public rage over high-risk investment schemes in which nearly every Albanian family lost money. Many blame the government for not warning people away from the pyramid schemes -— and some claim it profited from the funds. Citadel expels one, punishes nine cadets for hazing CHARLESTON, S.C.—A male cadet at The Citadel was expelled and nine others were given lesser punishments in the hazing and ha rassment of two women cadets, the military school said Monday. One cadet was cleared, and the FBI and state investigators continue to lode into the women’s allegations for possible criminal charges. Of 15 male cadets who faced discipline, one was expelled, the maxi mum penalty, and one was given the second most severe punishment: He is restricted to campus for the rest of the semester and must do 120 hours of marching with an unloaded rifle in the barracks courtyard. Eight of the cadets received lesser punishments, ranging from shorter marching tours and demerits to confinement to the barracks. Cadets Jeanie Mentavlos of Charlotte, N.C., and Kim Messer of Clover, S.C. said their clothes were set on fire and cleanser was put on their heads. They also said they were forced to drink tea until they became ill, made to drink alcohol and forced to stand in a closet while being shoved and kicked last semester. They didn’t return to the state military school for the spring semester. Clinton’s approval rating slips in polls WASHINGTON — President Clinton’s approval rating has slipped slightly in the wake of allegations of questionable campaign fund-rais ing activities, according to two polls released Monday. A CBS News survey showed Clinton’s overall approval has fallen from a high of 63 percent after the Jan. 20 inauguration to 56 percent on Sunday, while a survey done for ABC News and The Washington Post found a decline between mid-January and last week from 60 per cent to 55 percent. Both polls also indicate that while the public is concerned about alleged wrongdoings in campaign fund raising, it has accepted them as common practices. In the CBS poll, 74 percent surveyed said they believed campaign contributions encourage many public officials to change government policy. The ABC-Washington Post poll found while many were uncom fortable with Clinton allowing donors to spend the night in the White House, 59 percent said the president did nothing unlawful. QuMtfom? Comments? Ask for tha appropriate aaetion settlor at472 2SMof-mafldnOunHnfc).unL»du. MKnr DouoKbuma Managing Editor SutaLavigne Assoc. Nows Editors: Joshua Gillin Chad Lorenz Night Editor Anne HJereman Opinion Editor Anthony Nguyen APWire Editor: JohnFuiwider Copy Desk Chief: Julie Sobczyk Sports Editor Trevor Parks General Manager DanShattN Advertising Manager AmyStruthers Asst Ad Manager Cheryl Renner Ciaaaified Ad Manager Tiffiny Clifton A&E Editor Jeff Randal Photo Director ScottBruhn Art Director Aaron Stectoiberg Web Editor: Michelle Collins aa«—S-m. a« Nigni nows Editors: Bryce Glenn Leanne Sorensen Rebecca Stone Amy Taylor Publications Travis Brandt Board Chairman: 436-7915. Protossional Don Walton Advisor: 473-7301 MX NUMBER:472-17S1 The Daily Nebraskan (USPS 144-060)18 published by the UNLPubBcations Board, Nebraska Union 34,1400 RSL, Lincoln, NE 68568-0448, Monday through Friday during the academic year; weekly during summer sessions. Readere are encouraged to submit story ideas and comments to the DaBy Nebras kan by caHing 472-2588. The public has access to the Publications Board. ftibscripMonpriceis355fof oneyear Postmaster: Sarvd address changes to the Daily Nebraskan, Nebraska Union 34, 1400 RSL, Lincoln, NE 68588-0448. Second-class postage paid at Lincoln, Neb. ALL MATERIAL COPYRIGHT 1907 DAILY NEBRASKAN _ *-• *’ r • ^ •*