Editorial: GOP’s true motives on Waco are shown

Thursday, Sept. 23, 1999 | 9:39 a.m.

The Republican-controlled Congress is on its way to bungling an investigation of the U.S. Department of Justice's handling of the 1993 Waco tragedy and other controversies. For instance, some Senate Republicans are bent on a partisan vendetta to discredit the Clinton administration and Attorney General Janet Reno. Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., who likely will head the Senate's probe, has suggested hiring Charles LaBella to head its investigation. LaBella would hardly be considered an unbiased staffer, considering that he once headed the Justice Department's probe of campaign fund-raising abuses and left following a disagreement with Reno.

Along with concerns about partisanship, another worry has been that an inquiry by Congress might interfere with an independent investigation of Waco being led by former Republican Sen. John Danforth. That fear has been realized, as Danforth has charged that Senate investigators working for Specter may be undermining Danforth's probe since they traveled to Waco without his knowledge. It is obvious that the Senate should reject LaBella to lead its investigation. In addition, Congress should hold off of its inquiry into the Justice Department until Danforth has finished his investigation.

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