And, yet, they knew that Gingrich illegally used donated educational funds for his own political purposes. Not only that but, unless they are complete dunces, they knew that he knew exactly what he was doing.

So far, all evidence, or lack of, indicates that President Clinton did not do anything wrong.

With Gingrich, all evidence clearly indicated that he did engage in illegal activities.

So, if the Republicans are so concerned over just a suspicion concerning President Clinton, why didn't they pursue Gingrich with at least the same vigor for his known violations of laws, including mores?

The party knew he lied for two years, that he did take and use donated, deductable funds for his own purposes. So, what's the difference? Nothing more than political party power and politics.

The party couldn't investigate and oust him as it would hurt their party. (Special addendum: Eventually, this reversed with the party recognizing Gingrich was hurting the party. Result: Gingrich's resignation.) Furthermore, it would have been highly likely that they would not only have lost seats in the House and Senate but also that the House Leader would have become a Democrat.

The Republicans have kept Whitewater going for years now in their unsuccessful attempt to discredit Mr. Clinton. They are now using campaign funding for the same purpose. They don't really care whether he did violate the 1800's law or not; they simply know that if they can keep the suspicion alive that it will help their party.

Here's what you can look forward to. The next presidential campaign (and lesser campaigns, of course) will focus on the alleged illegal attainment of campaign funds. Not once will any foreign donations to the Republican Party brought up even though they have received foreign donations nor will the investigate expand to include all who have sat in the White House.

Every Republican who campaigns will get on the band wagon of discrediting Mr. Clinton, and, hence, the Democratic Party, by using their 'great concern' over campaign funding and political corruption (of course, this won't include corruption of the Republican Party).

In reality, the party is just as corrupt and influenced by campaign contibutions from their major contributors as is the Democratic Party. Check their record. For a starting point, check out the agri-oil and tobacco industries' contributions and the Republicans' voting record on legislation which concerns these industries.

Next, have your Republican representative in Washington explain why Gingrich admittedly lied when he was supposedly innocent of knowingly using donated, tax deductable funds for his own political purposes. They can't do it; they can only avoid the question by dancing all around the issue.

One may say this aren't related but they are. They show the character of the party and the party's continued party politics aimed at keeping the party in power, not to correct wrongs against the people they represent or to prosecute for criminal or ethical violations unless it serves their party purposes.

One last thought. Are we to believe that no Republican has solicited funds while on federal property, that neither Reagan or Bush or any of their staffs ever talked to a contributor from the White House or while in the White House?

What must be taken into consideration is that Washington was set up on donated land as our federal seat of government . In a sense, then, all of Washington, DC, any location within the city's limits, is federal property. The monuments, the land, and all federal buildings belong to all of us.

Are we actually to believe anytime a Republican is around a major contributor, whether it be the White House or a monument, that the contributor does not receive preferential treatment and any politics concerning the contributor is not brought up and discussed.

I, for one, Ladies and Gentlemen, find this a very hard pill to swallow. What I find very easy to swallow is that Republicans aren't concerned about corruption that goes hand-in-hand with large-money contributions but are just engaged in another hyped-up controversy aimed at discrediting through ennuendo.