Original: Woodward , Bob and Duffy , Brian '' Senate Panel Is Briefed on China Probe Figure '' , Washington Post , September 12 , 1997 Department of Justice investigation The Justice Department opened a task force in late 1996 to begin investigating allegations of campaign fund-raising abuses by the Clinton/Gore re-election campaign .
Simplified: In late 1996 , the Justice Department opened a task force to investigate allegations of illegal donations to the Clinton/Gore re-election campaign and to Clinton 's legal defense fund .