Conservative Group Touts Poll on Clinton's ‘Corruption'

WASHINGTON — The scandals that plagued the Clinton administration during the 1990s may be old news to some, but at least one anti-Clinton group hasn't given up on making them an issue in the 2008 presidential race.

Judicial Watch, a conservative legal watchdog group, convened a press conference in Washington yesterday to herald the results of a poll it commissioned from Zogby International that asked likely voters how "corrupt" they think Senator Clinton is and how concerned they are about "high levels of corruption" if the Clintons return to the White House.

More than half of the 1,039 respondents, 51%, described Mrs. Clinton as "not very corrupt" or "not corrupt at all," but the group's president, Tom Fitton, focused on the 42% who described her as "very" or "somewhat" corrupt, calling for the Democratic presidential hopeful to face additional scrutiny about her husband's presidency and her actions as first lady.

Ticking off a list of past Clinton flaps, from "Travelgate" to President Clinton's personal transgressions, Mr. Fitton argued that the results indicated that those issues have relevancy once again. "She is a candidate for higher office," Mr. Fitton said of Mrs. Clinton, "and it's important that these issues be raised." Judicial Watch, lists Mrs. Clinton as the no. 2 "most wanted corrupt politician" on its Web site.

The political scandals of the Clinton administration have not loomed large in the current campaign, and Mrs. Clinton and her advisers have signaled that they will react aggressively if her opponents try to make them an issue. When a former supporter who now backs Senator Obama, David Geffen, publicly criticized the Clintons for lying with "ease," the Clinton campaign called on Mr. Obama to denounce Mr. Geffen for "viciously and personally attacking" the Clintons.

The Judicial Watch also asked respondents if they agreed with a statement saying that Mr. Clinton "can be trusted to behave honestly in the White House" if Mrs. Clinton is elected president.

They were also read a second statement saying he "cannot" be trusted. Fifty percent said he could be trusted, while 36% said he could not. Asked how concerned they were about "high levels of corruption" in a second Clinton presidency, 45% said they were "somewhat" or "very" concerned, and 53% said they were "not very" or "not at all" concerned.

"These issues can't be off limits just because Hillary Clinton says it's off-limits," Mr. Fitton said.

The Clinton campaign declined to comment. The poll did not ask about any other candidates. A spokesman for Zogby International, a widely used polling firm, said the company has final say on all questions and stood by those asked by Judicial Watch.

While the watchdog trumpeted the results as damaging to Mrs. Clinton, a political scientist at Fordham University, Costas Panagopoulos, noted that the poll indicates voters have a higher view of the senator than politicians in general, judging by surveys that show a majority of Americans think that politicians are corrupt. Less than half said that about Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Panagopoulos pointed out. "She's in pretty good shape," he said.

The survey group comprised 38% Democrats, 36% Republicans, and 26% independents. The margin of error was +/- 3.1%.