Testy Over Travelgate

WASHINGTON, D.C.: Questioned Friday about Hillary Clinton's alleged involvement in firing seven White House travel employees and the two-year delay in releasing former aide David Watkins' written account of the episode, White House spokesman Mike McCurry crisply replied, "Apparently previous searches were not exhaustive enough." The White House, notes TIME's Jeffrey Birnbaum, is feeling the heat as multiple investigations gain momentum. "This is one in a series of issues in which the First Lady and her associates are embroiled, and many more questions will be raised." Rep. William Clinger, chairman of the House committee that obtained the Watkins memo, told reporters Thursday, "There was a cover-up here." He plans a new round of hearings on the travel office firings, and said his committee would send Mrs. Clinton written questions. Whitewater prosecutor Kenneth Starr joined in the criticism Friday, complaining in writing to the White House that since the Watkins memo contains numerous references to the late Vincent Foster, he too should have been given the document. The White House has been under orders for two years to release all Foster-related documents to Starr, who is investigating the late attorney's suicide. McCurry informed reporters the White House had responded to Starr, expressing "regret that the document in question was not discovered earlier and was not produced until yesterday morning to the independent counsel."