Chung Talks, But Off The Record
House investigators hear Democratic money man in a secret session
WASHINGTON (Nov. 14) -- Democratic contributor Johnny Chung spoke with House campaign-finance investigators today, but only behind closed doors, off the record and not under oath.
Rep. Dan Burton (R-Ind.) said Chung refused to give sworn testimony, invoking his Fifth Amendment privilege against possible self-incrimination. But Chung did answer questions under a "gentleman's agreement" under which the House Government Reform and Oversight Committee agreed there would be no public disclosure of what he said.
Burton, who chairs the committee, said he would summarily dismiss any staff member who leaked Chung's remarks, saying the confidentiality agreement was "written in stone." Burton said Chung supplied information that would be useful to the committee in its investigation of campaign finance irregularities.
Rep. Henry Waxman (D.-Calif.) said Chung instead gave an "informal briefing" to staff and some members of the committee.
Rep. Christopher Cox (R.-Calif.) told reporters Chung responded to questions after the committee agreed to Chung's ground rules, but he would not describe what those ground rules were. Waxman said Chung spoke on the condition that his remarks be kept off the record, and that Chung was not sworn in.
Waxman said Chung had given similar off-the-record, unsworn briefings to the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee and to investigators from the Department of Justice.
House Republicans have threatened to haul Chung before television cameras and embarrass him by forcing him to invoke his constitutional privilege against possible self-incrimination in full public view.
Waxman and Cox spoke to reporters separately outside the room in the Rayburn House Office Building where Chung was questioned.
Burton rips Reno, Freeh
In a related development, Burton criticized Attorney General Janet Reno and FBI Director Louis Freeh for not providing information about possible Chinese influence in U.S. elections to the committee.
Burton cited a story in today's Washington Post that newly discovered counterintelligence files provide evidence that Democratic fund-raisers Maria Hsia and John Huang acted on behalf of China.
"I'm fed up with this," a visibly angry Burton said. He called it "unforgivable" and said the FBI and the Justice Department were either inept or were deliberately withholding information from his committee.
CNN's Timothy McCaughan contributed to this report.