WACO . . . WHITE HOUSE SLAMS "COVERUP" CHARGE

The White House pulled no punches today in putting Rep. Bill Zeliff (R-N.H), co-chairman of the House committee investigatingthe Waco tragedy, in his place for comments he made Sunday during an appearance on NBC's "Meet The Press." Appearing on the show, Zeliff said: "I don't believe (Attorney General) Janet Reno, who had less than two weeks on the job, made this decision all by herself." Zeliff didn't stop there: "We had a tank that went through that front door, went into that area where women and children were there (and) we killed over 80 people," he said. In a letter to Zeliff today, White House Counsel Abner Mikva said the comments were "nothing short of irresponsible, intent on creating a story without any news and alleging a scandal without any basis." Republican colleagues on the panel today appeared to distance themselves from the charges. Rep. Steven Schiff (R-N.M.) said the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms had a "legitimate interest" in the Branch Davidians because of alleged firearms violations, and Rep. Bill McCollum (R-Fla.), the other co-chairman, said he agreed with a Justice Department finding that cult members -- not agents -- began the deadly fire.