Calling Mr. Clean

By DAVID ELLIS

Scandal-plagued corporations and government agencies have a surefire formula for riding out the storm: Find someone with an unimpeachable reputation to whip the place back into shape. Beleaguered Salomon Brothers turned to superinvestor Warren Buffet. A few other high-profile "fixers":

Nicholas Katzenbach, U.S. Attorney General 1965-66

-- Succeeded Clark Clifford last month as head of First American Bankshares, which was covertly controlled by B.C.C.I., the shady multinational corporation accused of money laundering and supporting terrorists.

-- Plans to stay until "the bank is on top of its problems."

Howard Baker, U.S. Senator 1967-85

-- Named as Reagan's chief of staff in February 1987 when Don Regan was held responsible for the "chaos" in the White House after the Iran-contra revelations.

-- Stayed 16 months.

William Ruckelshaus, Director of the Environmental Protection Agency 1970-73

-- Returned to the EPA in May 1983 after Reagan-era administrators were accused of delaying the cleanup of the nation's hazardous-waste sites.

-- Stayed 20 months.

Frank Carlucci, Deputy Secretary of Defense 1981-82

-- Replaced John Poindexter in January 1987 as Reagan's National Security Adviser during the Iran-contra scandal.

-- Stayed 11 months.

Claudius I, scholar and writer

-- Drafted as Roman emperor in A.D. 41 after the assassination of his depraved nephew Caligula; strengthened Rome's legal system.

-- Poisoned after 13 years.

With reporting by Sidney Urquhart