Sue Hartigan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: Starr Moonlights for Muffler Co. > RICHMOND, Va. (AP) -- Independent counsel Kenneth > Starr's moonlighting for a muffler chain Tuesday > prompted a noisy response from the White House, which > says he gets paid enough by taxpayers. > > A day after the Whitewater grand jury in Little Rock, > Ark., indicted former Clinton business partner Susan > McDougal, Starr argued a case in federal appeals court > for Meineke Discount Muffler Shops. > > He urged a three-judge panel to throw out a $390 > million judgment against the company, which is accused > of skimming advertising money contributed by its > franchises. > > Playing off recent legal battles over executive > privilege, White House spokesman Jim Kennedy accused > Starr of exerting ``the Meineke privilege.'' > > ``That's the privilege to make $1 million a year > himself while spending $40 million of taxpayers' money > on a seemingly endless investigation,'' Kennedy said. > > ``When he got up this morning, Mr. Starr had a choice > to serve the public or to serve his own private > interest and he chose the latter, of course.'' > > The law allows special prosecutors to take private > employment, and Starr has occasionally done so. He has > represented the tobacco industry, the NFL Players > Association, Chiquita Brands International and others. > > Starr brushed aside a reporter's question about such > criticism. > > ``I'm heading back to work,'' he said Tuesday as he > climbed into the back seat of a car. > > Starr's annual salary as independent counsel is capped > at $118,000. In one of his outside jobs, defending > Wisconsin's school choice program, he charged $390 an > hour, according to that state's records. -- 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
