WHITEWATER . . . D'AMATO WON'T SUMMON FIRST LADY

Senate Whitewater committee chairman Al D'Amato (R-N.Y.) this morning rebuffed a junior colleague's volatile demand that Hillary Rodham Clinton be called before panel. TIME Daily reported exclusively on Monday that Sens. Lauch Faircloth of North Carolina and Rod Grams of Minnesota intended to ask that Mrs. Clinton be called to testify on whether sheplayed any role in the removal of papers from the office of former White House aide Vincent Foster shortly after his 1993 suicide."Unless there is clear and convincing facts and reasons that necessitate the first lady's appearance, I certainly have no intention of calling her before this committee," D'Amato said when the hearings convened today. "There would have to be very, very strong evidence and fact that would have to be established very clearly." For Faircloth, the issue isn't over:"I think she should testify," he told the chairman, "and I would like to urge you, as the ranking member to call her."