ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times

DATE: Wednesday, December 6, 1995            TAG: 9512060081
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL   PAGE: A-1  EDITION: METRO 
DATELINE: WASHINGTON
SOURCE: The Washington Post 

GOP OPEN TO OUTSIDE COUNSEL BUT PARTIES DISAGREE ON OFFICIAL'S SCOPE

House Ethics Committee Republicans proposed appointing an outside counsel in the investigation of House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., on Tuesday but remain at loggerheads with panel Democrats over how broad the counsel's investigatory authority should be, according to sources familiar with the proceedings.

Tuesday's proposal marked the first time that they have begun to discuss the idea seriously.

The offer came after additional ethics questions arose about Gingrich. Last week, documents in a Federal Election Commission civil suit against GOPAC, a political action committee Gingrich once headed, suggested the group had violated federal election laws and indicated a link between GOPAC contributions and Gingrich's official activities.

Gingrich repeatedly has denied any wrongdoing, blaming partisan Democrats for the allegations against him.

``I'm perfectly happy with the Ethics Committee making whatever decision they think is appropriate,'' he said in September. ``I'm confident when they review it, they'll find we did everything exactly legally.''

Panel Republicans, who have been under increasing pressure to appoint an outside investigator, asked the committee to name an outside counsel limited to the question of whether a college course that Gingrich taught was an arm of GOPAC. That would have violated tax law because GOPAC was funded by tax-deductible contributions. Panel Democrats say the counsel must have a broader authority, according to the sources.

Democrats on the committee have said that a broad scope is necessary because they have done no investigation on their own and so do not know what issues the probe should be limited to.

The committee, which is evenly divided with five Republican members and five Democrats, is to meet again this morning.

Committee Chairman Nancy Johnson, R-Conn., who has been criticized by House Democrats for the pace of the investigation, would not discuss the question of an outside counsel Tuesday.

Johnson has come under additional fire because GOPAC documents name her as a key recruiter for the PAC. Common Cause, the self-styled citizens' lobbying group, Tuesday called on her to step aside, saying the panel's ``semblance of credibility'' was at risk.

Johnson said Tuesday that her involvement with GOPAC was limited to four speeches: ``My relationship to GOPAC has been that of a guest speaker. I consider, therefore, that I have no conflict of interest.''

LENGTH: Medium:   55 lines
ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO:  Newt Gingrich/``I'm confident". color.