February 1, 2001

Joyce Purnick Metro Matters column contends that pardons, gifts and commutations in final days of Clinton presidency create problem of perception for Senator Clinton; holds that it makes her seem approachable with offers of quid pro quo, especially since she has not been vociferous in her denials of participating in decisions that precipitated leniency (M)

Three former campaign aides to Sen Robert G Torricelli of New Jersey are said to be targets of federal investigation into possible illegal activities in his 1996 Senate race; move by Justice Dept's Campaign Financing Task Force is most serious development yet in inquiry that began four years ago by looking into handful of questionable contributions to Torricelli, and has since expanded into sweeping examination of his $12 million campaign; Torricelli, one of leading fund-raisers in Democratic Party, sharply attacks prosecutors, accusing them of blowing out of proportion a few minor accounting irregularities; three singled out by prosecutors are Torricelli's former campaign treasurer, Adam C Crain, his executive assistant, Roberta L Stern, and his former campaign manager, David A Plouffe; photo (M)

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Design Notebook column on house in Tubac, Ariz, designed by Rick Joy for Warren Tyler, an amateur astronomer, and his wife, Rose; photos (M)

Alcatel posts 2000 net profit of 1.32n