The admission came six months after the Senate subpoenaed the White House for videotapes and all other documents related to Clinton administration fund raising.
Republicans contend the delay was intentional.
The White House denies that. But Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., disputed that there was a plan to conceal the videotapes from the Senate. There was a question of misguided information and perhaps incompetence. The administration defended the author of the memo, Cheryl D. Mills, saying her purpose in writing it was to be certain the White House Communications Agency and other staffers did not use official resources for campaign events. Mills then was associate White House counsel and is now the deputy counsel, the No. 2 position.