Kennedy was already under fire for mishandling another key part of his job: White House security clearances. About 10 percent of the White House staff still don’t have their clearances; one third don’t have permanent building passes. Last May, Kennedy was publicly rebuked by chief of staff Mack McLarty for bungling the Travelgate affair.
Some White House aides say the reason Kennedy hasn’t been fired is compassion for his difficult personal life. A partner at the Rose Law Firm, he came to Washington reluctantly. In July, when his close friend Vince Foster committed suicide, Kennedy was asked to identify the body. Months later, his wife left him to return to Little Rock. The couple is now mired in a bitter divorce and custody dispute over their two children.
