Mokhiber: Have any members of the White House staff hired outside counsel to represent them in connection with the criminal investigation?

Scott McClellan: Not to my knowledge.

Mokhiber: Second question, you have said there's no evidence implicating current White House staff. Do you know of any evidence implicating former White House staff?

Scott McClellan: No.

Mokhiber: Third, Karl Rove used to work for Attorney General Ashcroft. Attorney General Ashcroft is investigating the White House, why doesn't that represent a conflict of interest?

Scott McClellan: Career Justice Department officials are investigating the allegation that there is a leak of classified information. And I've already answered that question.

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-Thanks to Russell Mokhiber

White House reporter Russell Mokhiber is the editor of the Washington, D.C.-based Corporate Crime Reporter - www.corporatecrimereporter.com. He co-authors the weekly Focus on the Corporation column with Robert Weissman which Common Dreams publishes. He can be reached at: russell@nationalpress.com