THE WHITE HOUSE

          Office of the Press Secretary

_____________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release                            June 19, 1996

              PRESS BRIEFING (Excerpts)
               BY MIKE MCCURRY


               The Briefing Room


             Q    The Associated Press is reporting that Bruce 
Lindsey will be named an unindicted co-conspirator in the Little Rock 
Whitewater trial that has just begun.
             
             MR. MCCURRY:  I believe, if I'm not mistaken, they 
reported that last night.
             
             Q    No, they said "might be," but now they say he has 
been.
             
             MR. MCCURRY:  That would be -- it was reported that it 
would likely happen last night.  There was a statement from Mr. 
Snyder, his attorney, and a statement from Mr. Lindsey that's 
available.
             
             Q    Is the White House -- does that impact on his job 
here at the White House?
             
             MR. MCCURRY:  We are fully aware that that was likely 
going to happen based on the comments of his attorney.  And what is 
significant is that in many long months of inquiry he was not 
indicted.

...................................................................


             Q    So, Mike, just to follow up on your answer to 
Wolf's question, we shouldn't expect any change in Mr. Lindsey's 
employment status at the White House?
             
             MR. MCCURRY:  I haven't heard anything to indicate that, 
no.
             
             Q    Has Mr. Lindsey offered to the President or anybody 
else here at the White House to resign?
             
             MR. MCCURRY:  Well, he's had a discussion long ago with 
the President, and that question was raised long ago, and his 
circumstances involving the matter that's now being litigated in 
court haven't changed either.
             
             Q    Mike, again following up on Wolf's question.  You 
just said what's significant is that after many months of inquiry he 
wasn't indicted.  Are you saying that being an unindicted 
coconspirator is -- the White House isn't concerned --
             
             MR. MCCURRY:  Well, what that means is not entirely 
clear.
             
             Kevin, you're looking anxious.  What's going on, man.  
Just tell us.  How's the world?  (Laughter.)  What news? 
             
             Q    Breaking news.
             
             MR. MCCURRY:  Breaking news.  (Laughter.)
             
             Q    Mike, for a lot --
             
             Q    Put CNN on.  (Laughter.)
             
             Q    Mike, for a lot of people, you know, Lindsey is 
just a name to, say, the public.  Could you explain what his role is 
these days, what kinds of things he advises the President on and what 
he does?
             
             MR. MCCURRY:  Well, he's been involved in a lot of 
things in his role as counselor to the President.  He has worked most 
recently on securities litigation.  As you all know, he travels on 
occasion with the President.  
             
             But, look, he has said under oath that he has done 
nothing wrong, and we have no reason to doubt his word.  For more 
than a year he cooperated with the independent counsel.  He 
cooperated with Congress, responding to every question about the 1990 
gubernatorial campaign and about Perry County Bank.  And he'll soon 
get a chance to testify in public about the facts.  And he welcomes 
the opportunity to do so.
             
             Q    Mike, two days ago you said the fact that Craig 
Livingstone had said under oath that he had done nothing wrong was 
the reason he wasn't being put on leave.  What's the difference 
between the --
             
             MR. MCCURRY:  Well, I mean, these are entirely different 
situations.  No person -- I hope you would not want automatic 
comparisons in your own personnel situation compared to some other 
reporter.  You want people to evaluate situations on a case-by-case 
basis.  And I think that's fair.
             
             Q    Mike, the question I'm asking is that you cited the 
other day a sworn affidavit that said nothing wrong was done as a 
reason why someone should not be suspended. 
             
             MR. MCCURRY:  That's correct.
             
             Q    That person was subsequently suspended despite the 
sworn oath.
             
             MR. MCCURRY:  No, that's -- no actually -- actually, 
that's not correct.  
             
             Q    The person was subsequently put on leave.
             
             MR. MCCURRY:  I said there was no punitive action taken 
against Mr. Livingstone and, indeed, there has not been any punitive 
action taken against Mr. Livingstone because there's no evidence that 
I'm aware of that's available to this White House that contradicts 
his sworn statement.  That is still true today.
             
             His request to be placed on administrative leave deals 
with the management of that office and deals with his own concerns 
and the concerns that the Chief of Staff has -- that that in no way 
prejudices a claim of punitive action.  And I -- again, I'd say I'm 
not aware of any evidence that contradicts that claim.

.....................................................................
             

             Q    Mike, getting back to Mr. Lindsey, do you expect 
any nonpunitive action to be taken against him? 

             MR. MCCURRY:  Not that I'm aware of, no.  

             Q    Can you clarify?  I'm kind of a little confused on 
the Craig Livingstone's situation.   You're saying no punitive action 
has been taken, but -- 

             MR. MCCURRY:  That is not a disciplinary action. 

             Q    But your Chief of Staff has concerns that might 
prevent his returning to his job.  

             MR. MCCURRY:  Correct.  Correct.  He can't -- he will 
not return from administrative leave until the Chief of Staff's 
concerns are satisfied, until the matter is clarified.  That's what 
the White House legal counsel indicated.  But that's different from 
saying that there is some grounds for disciplinary action against Mr. 
Livingstone, because that has to be established based on whatever the 
facts are and we're in the process of establishing the facts. 

             I think that's pretty -- I hope that's clear to 
everybody, that there ought to be a distinction there. 

             Q    Different subject.  Just out of curiosity, how much 
of a ceremony are you all planning here tomorrow for the Olympic 
torch? 

             MR. MCCURRY:  Tomorrow, when it arrives?  I think it's 
coming during the middle of a congressional picnic that hopefully 
won't be rained out like the press picnic last night.  But they will 
have a welcoming moment when it arrives here; but on Friday morning 
is when he will actually do a public ceremony and have some things. 

.......................................................................

             MR. MCCURRY:  Whatever.  A day, two days, whatever.  He 
(Clinton) is going to do a very brief thing when it arrives here and saying 
hello to the torch and put it to bed for the night.  (Laughter.)

             Q    But not on the White House lawn, right? 

             MR. MCCURRY:  Which is a very elaborate -- apparently a 
very elaborate proceeding, I am told. 

             Q    But no flame on the White House lawn, we hear.  It 
can't be on the grounds; is that right? 

             MR. MCCURRY:  Yes, it's going to be down -- they were 
going to put it -- I was told they were putting it down by the South 
Lawn so the tourists can see it from the Ellipse. 

             Q    In case it explodes.


             MR. MCCURRY:  It's not sleeping in the Lincoln Bedroom.  
(Laughter.)

             THE PRESS:  Thank you.
             
             END                          1:25 P.M. EDT