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| KENNETH STARR SPEAKS
FEBRUARY 5, 1998The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer Transcript |
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Following excerpts from a Kenneth Starr press conference, Jim Lehrer discusses the latest developments in the Starr investigation with Dan Balz of The Washington Post.
NEWSHOUR LINKS:
February 5, 1998:
A discussion on Kenneth Starr's press conference .
February 2, 1998:
Washington Post reporter, Dan Balz, discusses the Starr investigation .
January 29, 1998:
Dan Balz discusses the White House crisis.
January 28, 1998:
An update on the White House crisis with Dan Balz.
January 27, 1998:
Dan Balz, discusses the latest developments in the White House crisis.
January 26, 1998:
Our presidential historians discuss the importance of President Clinton's State of the Union address.
January 26, 1998:
Experts debate the role of the independent counsel.
January 23, 1998:
Mark Shields and Paul Gigot discuss the the political issues surrounding President Clinton's alleged affair.
January 22, 1998:
Shields and Gigot discuss the legal implications of the crisis.
January 22, 1998:
The legal implications of President Clinton's alleged affair.
January 22, 1998:
Presidential historians and experts put the brewing crisis in perspective.
January 21, 1998:
President Clinton responds to charges that he may have had an affair with a former White House intern.
May 27, 1997:
A discussion on the ramifications of the Paula Jones case on the office of the Presidency.
January 13, 1997:
Paula Jones's case goes before the Supreme Court.
An exploration of presidential leadership: Character Above All
Browse the NewsHour's coverage of the U.S. Presidency and law
The Shields and Gigot index page.
OUTSIDE LINKS
The Washingtonpost.com's coverage of the crisis.
JIM LEHRER: Independent Counsel Starr made his longest public statement thus far on his investigation of allegations involving President Clinton and former White House intern Monica Lewinsky. Starr delivered them to reporters at Little Rock following an unrelated court appearance. Here's what he said.
REPORTER: Judge, does Monica Lewinsky have a deadline of tomorrow to cooperate or else?
KENNETH STARR, Independent Counsel: I'm not going to comment. I know there's a lot of public commentary. I was made aware earlier this morning of a press report with respect to that. But I have adopted a policy which I think is sound; it is prudent, that I should not discuss negotiations and discussions when they're underway. I don't think that's useful. I would simply say this: We are going by the book. We want the truth. We want all the truth. We want it completely, accurately, and we will satisfy--we will satisfy ourselves that we're getting the truth. And that is the absolute bedrock point. We want the truth. The attorney general of the United States gave this office jurisdiction over very serious allegations. Those allegations are a possible obstruction of justice, intimidation of witnesses, and subornation of perjury. That is an extraordinary set of circumstances. We're investigating those as promptly, as quickly as we can.
REPORTER: Are you prepared to fight another executive privilege claim by the White House to the Supreme Court?
KENNETH STARR: Well, Mr. Jefferson, we have to do what we have to do to get out the facts. I have the utmost respect for the presidency and separation of powers. We will, therefore, of course, assess any such issue as it might arise. But I don't anticipate it. We will see.
REPORTER: Is the White House stonewalling on giving you information?
KENNETH STARR: Mr. Jefferson, I think I will not characterize any course of action or conduct.
REPORTER: Are you still talking to Miss Lewinsky's lawyers?
KENNETH STARR: Well, again, I'm not going to comment on the status of our negotiations. That, again, if you ask specific facts, what you're entitled to do, I just hope you understand, especially when you ask a kind of question about the status of someone who might be a witness, that goes to the heart of the grand jury process. And I think it's important for me to say this at this time. I know there is every public interest in knowing as many facts as you possibly can. As I have said before outside this courthouse, unless we are talking in court, we as officers of the United States have to be very careful, because we're under obligations. Those are obligations of law. They're obligations of ethics. The obligation of laws I cannot answer some of the questions that you understandably have; I'm sympathetic with that. But I am under a legal obligation not to talk about facts going before the grand jury. I think it is apparent to each of you that there is a very active grand jury investigation underway. I believe in that system. I believe in having testimony and evidence put before 23 men and women drawn at random. That's our system. That is government by the people. It's not government by prosecutors. It's putting evidence before a grand jury. That is our system. It's a sound system. It's centuries old. It was ordained at the founding of the American republic. And part of that is guard the confidentiality of that. So I'm sorry that I can't answer specific questions about facts.
REPORTER: Do you not think the White House has a position to exert--or assert executive privilege?
KENNETH STARR: Well, I think everyone recognizes that it is a serious matter, indeed, for there to be an indication of executive privilege. And so we will simply see whether that privilege is invoked. And then again we will have to assess that, but I have to, again, comment that when you say the invocation of the privilege, that would be an invocation of the privilege that is a recognized constitutional privilege. But it would be what, it would be to prevent the grand jury from getting specific information. Now, there are privileges that are important, and that's why the law recognizes the ability to keep a fact-finder, the grand jury, from having access to it. But if I go beyond the comments I've made, I would be trenching on the grand jury's function.
REPORTER: Are you frustrated that Monica Lewinsky has failed to explain the Linda Tripp talking point?
KENNETH STARR: Well, again, James, I really cannot comment on specific aspects of the investigation. And that's a very specific, legitimate question, because I'm aware of published reports as to the particular item that you've mentioned. My interest and that of the career prosecutors in my office is very simple. It is to talk facts. It's to talk merits. It's not to talk about side issues. It is: What are the facts? And yes, we want all of the facts. And we want people to be accurate and truthful with us. That is the bottom line. There must be truthfulness; there must be accuracy; there must be completeness. We call it transparency. Is that witness being transparent, or is the witness not being transparent? And professionals make that evaluation. We do in human life. Is a person being completely honest and transparent, or does the person not have those qualities of transparency? Those are the issues that we have to face. And I am fortunate in saying I'm advised by some of the most able and experienced career prosecutors in the United States. Yes, sir.
REPORTER: The President talked about he's going to cooperate with your counsel. How's the White House been cooperating? Can you tell us that.
KENNETH STARR: Well, I'm not going to characterize state of issues. I would just say this. From time to time I have discussions with the White House counsel, and those discussions have always been cordial and professional.
REPORTER: Are they giving you all the documents that you need?
KENNETH STARR: On that I am not going to characterize about the state of the evidence. What we are looking for is all the information. It is helpful to us. It's helpful to the country, for as much information as possible. If it exists, we would like it. We'd like to present it to the grand jury. We will be transparent. We will say here it is, give it to us; we would be delighted to have it; we will assess it; it goes before the grand jury for the grand jury to evaluate.
REPORTER: Have you considered that Miss Lewinsky has lied to Miss Tripp and you're sitting and holding the bag?
KENNETH STARR: Well, I'm definitely not going to characterize a particular witness and motivations.
REPORTER: How would you characterize where your investigation stands right now, Judge ?
KENNETH STARR: Moving very quickly. And we have made very significant progress.
REPORTER: Do you share Judge Wright's concerns about the leaks, and, if you do, what have you done to make sure they're not coming from your office?
KENNETH STARR: Well, I--
REPORTER: Are they coming from your office?
KENNETH STARR: No. But I share the concern with any assault on the rule of law. It is something that we learn as schoolchildren in this country; that we are governed not by human will. We say a government of laws and not of men and women. It has to be that we abide by the rules. And the judge imposes rules. And we should, as officers of the court, scrupulously abide by that. I regret that there have been instances, so it would appear, when that rule has not been abided by. I also understand full well the media's interest in issues in litigation, and they would like to know as much as possible. But the judge has reached her judgment that for the protection of the integrity of that litigation there should be an order of confidentiality imposed. I respect that. I respect it scrupulously, and so does my staff. Yes.
REPORTER: The investigation has been characterized as sort of being at war with the White House. I wonder what your reaction to that characterization is.
KENNETH STARR: Our job is to really be professionals. And I don't use any characterization of that at all. You know, our--as you can tell by the people who are with me, we try to be professionals. We are professional, and we always try to do that, to try our cases in our, to present evidence to grand juries, and then for grand juries to come to determinations. And we've had a very conscientious grand jury setting in this district, before that--if I may--before that, another very conscientious grand jury and a grand jury that returns serious indictments. And then we've had trials in this district, and we've enjoyed some success, and we've had setbacks. That happens in professional life. But throughout our job is to do our job. It is not to engage in politics. I think there are those who view law as simply politics by another means. We do not. The law is the law. The law is sacred. The facts have integrity, and we're going to go about our job. Thanks very much.
JIM LEHRER: President Clinton also spoke publicly about the matter today. He did so briefly during an Oval Office photo opportunity with British Prime Minister Blair. Here's what he said.
PRESIDENT CLINTON: Well, I've already said that the charges are false. But there is an ongoing investigation, and I think it's important that I go back and do the work for the American people that I was hired to do. I think that's what I have to do now.
REPORTER: Are you going to exert executive privilege, sir?
PRESIDENT CLINTON: First, let me make it clear, for four years we've been cooperating exhaustively, and that's a hypothetical question, as far as I know. Should it arise, I will await a recommendation from the White House counsel about the institutional responsibilities of the presidency, and when I get it, then I'll make a decision.
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