Formation of an exploratory committee

Just as Hillary Rodham Clinton is wearing two hats as she journeys along on her listening tour in New York - those belonging to the First Lady and senatorial candidate - so too is the Capitol Hill staffer running her official Website. Democratic Policy Committee (DPC) technology staffer Chris Casey is one of the official administrators of the Clinton senate exploratory campaign committee Website, (http://www.hillary2000.org). But that_s not a problem, said Clinton Adviser and former White House official Harold Ickes. Ickes, responding to the question of Casey_s position as both a Capitol Hill staffer and one of the architects of the Website, said that he was brought on "purely as a consultant," which does not violate Senate ethics rules. Casey is not operating the Website as part of his duties for the DPC. Senate minority leadership, under Sen. Thomas Daschle, D-S.D., did not return telephone calls before deadline. Although Clinton has not announced that she definitely will seek the Senate seat to be vacated by retiring Democrat Daniel Patrick Moynihan, D-N.Y., (himself an Oklahoman by birth), she announced the formation of an exploratory committee on July 6. The committee filing with the Federal Election Commission officially allows her to begin raising money for a possible campaign. The Website offers its visitors the opportunity to donate. It lists the standard FEC rules, and allows users to contribute up to the maximum $1,000 limit via a 40-bit encrypted e-mail system.