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Robert McKeeman of Atlanta, GA, asks:
Is there any credible reason why Janet Reno would not appoint an independent prosecutor?
Professor Doug Kmiec of Pepperdine Law School responds:
Yes, to the extent she now believes the statute is flawed, and the
Department needs to reassert its
capacity to handle difficult cases.
Unfortunately, she should have made
that stand in lesser matters dealing with cabinet secretaries or others in
the administration, not with the President and Vice-President, for whom the
statute was drafted. In addition, any possibility of defending the
Department's prerogatives on this matter went by the boards when the head of
the FBI and task force concluded that an independent counsel was warranted.
No sense falling on a sword to defend internal investigators if the
internal investigators themselves don't want the job.
Michael Carvin,
former Justice Department official during the Reagan administration, responds:
I cannot think of any and Ms. Reno has offered none, contenting herself with the conclusory bromide that she will make the decision on the facts and law without regard to politics.
Next question...
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