The US Attorney General Janet Reno has decided against appointing a special counsel to investigate alleged irregularities in Vice President Al Gore's 1996 fund raising activities. The decision is a further boost for the Democrats' presidential candidate who has just pulled ahead in opinion polls. Ms Reno said that any further investigation was not likely to result in a criminal prosecution.
Meanwhile, in the American Presidential election one of the concerns of the Gore camp is the progress of the Green Party presidential candidate, Ralph Nadar. They fear that the diversion of votes to Mr Nader could deny Mr Gore the presidency.
