October 24,2005

Cisneros Report Released by Appeals Court

M E M O R A N D U M

TO: Reporters and Editors
RE: Cisneros Report
DA: October 24, 2005

Sen. Chuck Grassley, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, issued thecomment below about the statement made today by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit regarding release of the independent counsel’s final report on Henry G.Cisneros.

Last week, Sen. Grassley won unanimous Senate approval of an amendment to the annual spending measure for the Treasury Department to require release of the complete report.

“Congress and the taxpayers have a right to know the contents of this report. Speculationabout its content includes serious questions about administration of the federal tax code.

“I applaud the appeals court action today to require release of the report in full. At thesame time, it remains important that Congress assert itself by giving final approval to theamendment passed last week by the Senate. The independent counsel was created byCongressional action, and Congress must maintain vigilance over the actions of independentcounsels.

“In addition, my bipartisan amendment not only requires publication of the report within60 days, as the appeals court has done, it also makes sure the independent counsel stops its workafter issuing the report and shuts down its office within 45 days.”