USA Today Editorial on Cisneros Probe

Washington investigations, especially those by independent counsels, can roll on for years, eating taxpayer dollars long after their original purpose has been achieved.
So it is with the investigation of former Housing secretary Henry Cisneros, now in its 11th year.

Cisneros, accused of paying hush money to an ex-mistress and misleading officials about it, pleaded guilty in 1999 to lying to the FBI and was fined $10,000. His former paramour and others pleaded guilty to charges of bank fraud and making false statements. President Clinton, on his last day in office, pardoned Cisneros and the woman.

The independent counsel law has expired. Clinton and Cisneros are on to new careers. But the investigation, which has cost $22 million since David Barrett was appointed independent counsel in 1995, isn't officially over. The reason isn't known. Barrett says only that the investigation was extended to explore accusations that attempts had been made to obstruct the investigation and related misconduct. Several news organizations, citing anonymous sources, have reported that those accusations involve the Internal Revenue Service and the Justice Department. Barrett's report was completed by August 2004, but it has been sealed by a special federal court that oversees independent counsels. Lawyers for people named in it have filed more than 140 motions to keep their clients from being identified publicly.

Here is the rest of the editorial.