The editor of Salon flatly denies that a story published Wednesday in the Internet magazine is part of a White House smear campaign to discredit the man leading a House review of the Kenneth Starr report.
Executive editor Gary Kamiya said that the Clinton administration did not provide Salon with the details of Representative Henry Hyde's five-year affair with a hairdresser, but that Salon had obtained the story legitimately.
Nevertheless, the FBI said Thursday that it would investigate the story to see if it was part of an orchestrated attempt to undermine the reputation of the Illinois Republican. Leading Republicans are suggesting that the White House may be leaking stories of other adulterous affairs to take the heat off President Clinton.
Hyde, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, would be in charge of any impeachment proceedings against Clinton.
"If these reports are true," said Republican leaders in a letter to the FBI, "the actions of the individuals responsible are pure and simple intimidation -- no different than threatening jurors to change their verdicts in organized crime trials."
The letter was signed by House Speaker Newt Gingrich, House Majority Leader Dick Armey, Majority Whip Tom DeLay, and five others. They allege that someone at the White House may be shopping damaging stories around in an effort to intimidate congressional Republicans.
The Salon story reported an affair that Hyde had with a married woman named Cherie Snodgrass in the late 1960s. It followed on the heels of similar disclosures about two other Republicans, Representatives Helen Chenoweth of Idaho and Dan Burton, from Indiana. Both lawmakers admitted to having extramarital affairs.
Kamiya called the idea of an FBI investigation "outrageous," and steadfastly denied any leaks from the White House.
"This story came to us over the transom. The White House had zero to do with it," Kamiya said. "This is a chilling move against independent journalism."
Kamiya said the Salon story originated with relatives of Snodgrass, including her daughters and ex-husband, Fred Snodgrass. Hyde admitted the affair and said that the relationship, which lasted from 1965 until 1969, ended when his wife found out about it.
Kamiya also confirmed that investment bank Hambrecht and Quist -- a major Democratic campaign backer -- was an investor in Salon, but shrugged off any suggestion that Salon is in league with the Democratic Party.
"We have attacked Clinton from every point on the spectrum," he said. "One of our editors has called on him to resign. We're not in anyone's pocket.... We fear nothing from any investigation."
