Clinton To Answer 81 Questions

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

November 27, 1998 / 11:09 AM EST / CBS

President Clinton was studying draft answers to 81 questions from the House Judiciary Committee and, after a round of golf Friday morning in Pennsylvania, planned to interrupt his holiday weekend to finalize the impeachment-related document.

CBS News Correspondent Wyatt Andrews reports that officials said that Mr. Clinton would interrupt a holiday at the Camp David presidential retreat with his family and return to the White House. The move comes three weeks after committee Chairman Henry Hyde sent the president the questions about his truthfulness in the Monica Lewinsky affair. The president planned to give a final review to his counsel's work on the answers and submit them to Hyde later Friday, aides said.

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White House aides, speaking on condition of anonymity, have advised reporters that there would be no "bombshells" in Mr. Clinton's response, which is expected to closely track his grand jury testimony and public denials of wrongdoing in the furor that has led to a House impeachment inquiry on possible charges of perjury and obstruction of justice.

Hyde, R-Ill., who first relayed the 81 questions on Nov. 5, wrote Mr. Clinton on Wednesday and demanded that he respond by Monday or face a subpoena. White House officials say the subpoena threat from Hyde is unnecessary.

In his letter, Hyde also told Mr. Clinton that "you, or your counsel" could appear as a witness as early as Dec. 8, and could call other defense witnesses.

The letter additionally admonished the president for failing "to provide any exculpatory information" or "contest a single fact" submitted to the House by Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr.

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