Reno to Extend Clinton Investigation

WASHINGTON: The last thing Janet Reno wanted to do was shut down the Justice Departments probe into Bill Clinton's fund-raising activities a day before she was scheduled to be grilled on the investigation by a ravenous congressional panel. Instead, the attorney general bought herself more time with the request that the FBI's look into Clinton's campaign books be extended until December 3. The move came even though many Justice officials were skeptical that they had found enough evidence to suggest Clinton had in fact done anything illegal.

What the agency will find in the next six weeks is still iffy, even with some 100 more hours of newly released White House videotapes to go through, although Clinton increased speculation after he told reporters on Air Force One Monday night that he has tentatively agreed to talk to Justice investigators. Reno isn't likely to interview the President, leaving that to lower-level prosecutors working for campaign finance task force head Charles LaBella.

Still, all this isn't likely to satisfy Republicans so sure there's some there there that they've threatened to open an investigation into why Reno's people haven't turned up anything. Which means that the attorney general is in for a long morning Wednesday.