Committee Activities in Past Congresses: Campaign Finance

In the 105th, 106th, and 107th Congresses, the Government Reform Committee conducted a series of investigations that were marked by unsubstantiated allegations of wrongdoing, unusual procedural steps, and partisan abuses.

Chairman Dan Burton’s campaign finance investigation spanned the 105th and 106th Congresses. It was the most partisan, unfair, and abusive investigation since the McCarthy hearings in the 1950s, and was also the most expensive congressional investigation in history. According to the New York Times, the investigation was a “House investigation travesty” and a “parody of a reputable investigation” (Apr. 12, 1997). The Washington Post called the investigation “its own cartoon, a joke, and a deserved embarrassment” (Mar. 20, 1997). Norman Ornstein, a congressional expert at the American Enterprise Institute said, “the Burton investigation is going to be remembered as a case study in how not to do a congressional investigation as a prime example of investigation as a farce.” Los Angeles Times (May 2, 1998).

Latest News

Statistics on the Campaign Finance Investigation

During the course of the campaign finance investigation, Rep. Burton issued over 900 unilateral subpoenas, 99% of which targeted Democrats. He also interviewed or deposed hundreds of witnesses and received over a million pages of documents. These – and other – statistics on the investigation have been compiled by the minority staff.

Campaign Finance Correspondence

Throughout the campaign finance investigation, Rep. Waxman regularly documented abuses and improper conduct by the majority through correspondence with Rep. Burton. In the 105th Congress, for example, Rep. Waxman wrote 146 letters to Rep. Burton about the conduct of the investigation.

Statements on the Campaign Finance Investigation

Rep. Waxman’s opening statements provide a window into many mistakes and unsubstantiated allegations that characterize the majority’s campaign finance investigation.

Minority Views on Campaign Finance Investigation

The majority’s campaign finance investigation was marked by a series of unsupported charges and missteps. It also virtually ignored Republican campaign finance abuses. The minority views document the investigation's abuses, respond to the major findings in the majority’s November 1998 campaign finance report, and describe some of the most serious campaign finance allegations involving Republicans.

Costs of the Campaign Finance Investigation

The Committee's campaign finance investigation was the most expensive congressional investigation in history, costing over $8 million. Campaign finance investigations by this Committee and other congressional committees also imposed costly burdens on federal agencies that had to respond to hundreds of congressional campaign finance inquiries.

Doctored Transcript of Hubbell Tapes

On April 30, 1998, Rep. Burton released a transcript of tape recordings of conversations between Webster Hubbell, the former Associate Attorney General, and his family and friends. These recordings were made by the Bureau of Prisons during Mr. Hubbell’s incarceration for tax evasion and mail fraud. According to Mr. Burton, the prison tape recordings showed that former Associate Attorney General Webster Hubbell was paid off for his silence. In fact, the transcript released by Rep. Burton was heavily edited to appear incriminating. The minority’s analysis of the majority’s “Hubbell Master Tape Log” showed that it contained selective and misleading transcripts of the taped prison phone conversations of Webster Hubbell.

Minority Views on the White House Database Report

In the 104th and 105th Congresses, the majority conducted a multi-year investigation of the White House database (WhoDB), a computerized rolodex used to track contacts of citizens with the White House and to create a holiday card list. The majority concluded its investigation by alleging that President Clinton, First Lady, and senior aides were involved in “theft” of government property. As explained in the minority views, these charges had no basis in fact.

Displaying Items 1 to 7 of 7:

Previous Page • Next Page

[1]