Pubdate: Sun, 05 Nov 2000
Source: Victoria Advocate (TX)
Copyright: 2000, Victoria Advocate Publishing Company
Contact:  PO Box 1518 Victoria, Texas 77902
Fax: (316) 574-1225
Feedback: http://www.victoriaadvocate.com/opinion/submit.html
Website: http://www.victoriaadvocate.com/
Author: Associated Press

HEARINGS CALLED FOR IN TEXAS DRUG CASE

DALLAS (AP) -- Indiana Rep. Dan Burton said he would subpoena federal 
agents and hold congressional hearings after the presidential election if 
the Justice Department doesn't cooperate with his investigation into 
whether a major federal drug case in Houston was killed for political reasons.

"If they don't cooperate I'll do my dead-level best to bring this to the 
floor of the U.S. House," the Indiana Republican and chairman of the House 
Government Reform Committee was quoted by The Dallas Morning News in 
Saturday's editions.

"Janet Reno is blocking, and I believe, obstructing justice for political 
reasons," Burton said.

Burton's renewed demands to interview federal agents and officials familiar 
with the drug investigation of James A. Prince and Rap-A-Lot Records come a 
day after the Justice Department wrote him denying such access.

The federal investigation resulted in drug seizures in Houston, Beaumont 
and Oklahoma City and convictions of more than 20 people, including a 
Houston police officer and some of Prince's associates. The joint Houston 
police-DEA investigation was closed in 1999.

The 36-year-old Prince, who has never been charged, has said the DEA used 
"Gestapo-type methods" and "criminal tactics" in 12 years of investigations 
that showed no wrongdoing on his part. He said he was targeted because he 
was black.

Justice officials told Burton his interviews could impact "active federal 
criminal investigations."

"It is simply not appropriate that under these circumstances to make DEA 
personnel available for the interviews you have requested," Assistant 
Attorney General Robert Rabin told Burton in the letter.

Justice officials said a congressional review was not necessary because 
Attorney General Reno had asked her inspector general to investigate 
"disturbing" accusations that the Drug Enforcement Agency's case was 
"politicized."

Officials also announced that a joint task force of the FBI and DEA will 
take over a troubled federal investigation.

Burton and others have criticized the task force as a stalling tactic.

Burton said he suspects the case was closed because it could be potentially 
embarrassing to Vice President Al Gore, an allegation that has been denied 
by the Justice Department and the vice president.

Burton is referring to Gore making a campaign stop last March in Houston 
that included a church where Prince gave money.
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