Reno and Holder Pointing Fingers

0 Comments | Insight on the News, Dec 21, 1998

It comes as no secret that Republicans and, truth be told, even some Democrats, are madder than hell about Attorney General Janet Renos decision not to seek an independent counsel to probe allegations of fund-raising abuses by Vice President Al Gore.

But many FBI agents and officials at Justice are equally upset with Reno's deputy, Eric Holder. The reason for their frustration with Reno is evident -- she has rejected the fruits of their investigative labor several times over.

What's surprising, however, is the level of disillusionment with Holder, the former U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia who on corruption charges successfully prosecuted onetime Democratic Rep. Dan Rostenkowski of Illinois.

According to Justice and bureau sources, Holder has not been idle, even though he has portrayed himself as the hapless deputy who has tried to support the Justice Department fund-raising task force against all odds. As news alert! disclosed once before, Holder has played a pivotal role in advising Reno to reject the Justice/FBI task-force recommendation for an independent counsel. And he's done this while holding out public olive branches to FBI Director Louis Freeh and former Justice task-force leader Charles LaBella, who resigned rather than continue beating his head against Reno's granite walls.

"He's as political as she is," says one senior FBI official. "Holder tells us one thing and then whispers to Reno something else and then pretends it's all her wrongheaded doing," complains another law-enforcement official.

"Reno will do what Holder says, if he fights for it," says a Justice source. "But the bottom line is that if there's wiggle room to let them find for the White House, he'll support Reno," concedes a longtime associate of Holder.