Sue Hartigan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: GOP Weighs Possible Starr Testimony > WASHINGTON (AP) -- House Republicans are weighing a > plan to have Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr testify > before Congress if he files a report outlining evidence > of potentially impeachable offenses by President > Clinton, officials said Thursday. > > These officials, who spoke only on condition of > anonymity, said that under the plan, Starr would > outline and explain his findings to a panel of > lawmakers. > > Among the many unanswered questions about such an > appearance, the officials added, is whether the > independent counsel would appear in an open session. > Nor is it clear what type of questioning he would be > subject to. > > Asked about the proposal, one Judiciary Committee > official said it was ``pure speculation'' based on the > assumption that there would be a referral to Congress. > Any decision abut procedure will not be made until and > unless the independent counsel makes such a referral > the official said. > > Republican officials said they had had no contact with > Starr's office about his investigation. > > Likewise, Starr's office said there had been no contact > with the House. > > Discussion of a possible hearing featuring Starr comes > at a time when Speaker Newt Gingrich and Rep. Henry > Hyde, R-Ill., chairman of the Judiciary Committee, are > planning for an event that would be unprecedented: the > submission of a formal report by an independent counsel > outlining evidence of impeachable offenses. > > Starr was appointed under legislation that was enacted > after Richard Nixon resigned from office rather than > face impeachment proceedings in the full House. The law > requires any independent counsel to notify the House > ``of any substantial and credible information ... that > may constitute grounds for impeachment.'' > > Republicans were careful to describe any hearings that > might follow submission of Starr's report as a review > of his work, not as part of any formal impeachment > inquiry. > > Still, these sessions, if they occurred, would likely > be a critical part of any determination on the part of > the House to move onto the next step: a formal > impeachment inquiry. > > In a political vein, many Republicans view Clinton's > poll ratings as inexplicably high, given the > controversy over sex-and-cover-up charges that have > swirled around him. Clinton has denied any wrongdoing. > > Some Republicans suggest that a public airing of > Starr's material, depending on the evidence he has > accumulated, could begin eroding public confidence in > the president. > > Starr is investigating whether Clinton had a sexual > relationship with former White House intern Monica > Lewinsky and then encouraged her to lie about it in the > Paula Jones sexual harassment lawsuit. > > Starr also is investigating possible obstruction of > justice of the 4-year-old Whitewater investigation in > Arkansas, and he is delving into the Clintons' > relationship with their former business partner Jim > McDougal. As a lawyer in Little Rock, Ark., Hillary > Rodham Clinton did work for McDougal's failing savings > and loan. > > Despite the lack of official contact between the > independent counsel and the House, speculation has been > intense in Congress in recent weeks that Starr would > issue a report to lawmakers by the end of May. > > In a statement issued on Wednesday, Starr said that > while his investigation is moving very quickly, ``it > continues to be impeded by a variety of privilege > invocations. Nonetheless, we are proceeding > expeditiously in all phases of the investigation, > including the litigation necessary to gather and assess > all relevant facts.'' -- Two rules in life: 1. Don't tell people everything you know. 2. Subscribe/Unsubscribe, email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In the body of the message enter: subscribe/unsubscribe law-issues
