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THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary


For Immediate Release June 14, 1996

STATEMENT BY JACK QUINN, COUNSEL TO THE PRESIDENT

We have today put in place a series of reforms governing the way in which the White House requests background information from the FBI.

These reforms include a provision requiring that a current consent form signed by the individual who is the subject of the background check be provided to the FBI before background information can be released to the White House. These reforms will impose rigorous procedures to protect both the privacy of individuals and the integrity of this process.

In arriving at these reforms, my office communicated our intentions to the FBI Counsel's Office to ensure that our efforts would work well with any changes being contemplated by the FBI. We have been told by the FBI that they believe our reforms, along with reforms they will be announcing today, will operate together effectively.

June 14, 1996

MEMORANDUM FOR LEON PANETTA

CHIEF OF STAFF

FROM:            JACK QUINN
                         COUNSEL TO THE PRESIDENT

SUBJECT:         WHITE HOUSE REQUESTS TO THE FBI

As you know, the White House has historically requested information from the FBI in order to evaluate the suitability of persons for Presidential appointments, nominations and recognition, employment at the White House, and access to the White House. In light of recent events, I have instituted the following rules and procedures to cover White House requests to the FBI for background investigation information, effective immediately:

  1. White House requests to the FBI for background investigation information will be made only with the express written consent of the individual who is the subject of the investigation.
  2. Each request to the FBI must be approved and signed by

    the Counsel to the President or a specifically designated Counsel's Office attorney whose regular duties include the review of such information. Each request must also be signed by the security or vetting officer who initiates the request.

  3. Each request must identify the reason why the

    information is being requested (e.g., Presidential nomination, White House staff security clearance).

  4. Only those White House employees authorized in writing by the Chief of Staff and the Counsel to the President whose assigned duties require the review or processing of such information will have access to FBI background investigations.

We communicated these changes, in proposed form, to the relevant officials of the FBI in order to make sure that our procedural reforms will be workable when taken together with changes the FBI is considering. These reforms were acceptable to the FBI and, so, we are now moving forward with them. In addition, I am requesting that the FBI assist us as promptly as possible in a thorough review of the background investigation files that we currently have to make sure that all of the files that were requested mistakenly have been returned to the FBI.