But the move became inevitable after nine Democratic senators joined a chorus of Republicans in urging the president to ask for a special counsel. Controversy over the Clintons ' unsuccessful Whitewater venture and the failure of the Madison Savings and Trust goes on . At the heart of the problem is whether the Democrats ' failing investment was propped up by Madison and whether Clinton , as president , delayed shutting down Madison so that could be investigated . The Madison failure cost Clinton 50 million dollars . Whitewater files were leaked by Vince Foster , who committed suicide last year . Neither Clinton nor Janet Reno have yet asked for a Special Counsel to investigate it , although pressure to do so is building .
Controversy over the Clintons ' unsuccessful Whitewater venture and the failure of the Madison Savings and Trust goes on . At the heart of the problem is whether the Democrats ' failing investment was propped up by Madison and whether Clinton , as president , delayed shutting down Madison so that could be investigated . The Madison failure cost Clinton 50 million dollars . Whitewater files were leaked by Vince Foster , who committed suicide last year . Neither Clinton nor Janet Reno have yet asked for a Special Counsel to investigate it , although pressure to do so is building .