DRUDGE REPORT
By Matt Drudge
Thu Sep 03 19:30:59 1998
STARR DEPUTY: PROBE IS OF 'CONSTITUTIONAL AND HISTORIC IMPORTANCE'
Court Papers Reveal Tripp Key Witness in Travelgate, FBI Files
In unsealed court papers, a deputy in the Office of Independent Counsel declares that the investigation of alleged White House wrongdoing is of "constitutional and historic importance"
that reaches "to the highest level of the federal government."
And in a stunning twist, Independent counsel Kenneth Starr's investigation of "Filegate" and "Travelgate" -- thought to be dormant -- are continuing and "in extremely sensitive stages," according to his deputy, Robert Bittman.
"These investigations are factually and legally complex and they involve issues of singular and historic importance," Bittman wrote in court papers obtained by the WASHINGTON TIMES.
TIMES reporter Bill Sammon is first to break the development.
Bittman's court arguments helped persuade a federal judge to postpone Friday's scheduled deposition of FBIFILESTRAVELOFFICEMONICALEWINSKY witness Linda Tripp, which had been requested by JUDICIAL WATCH.
"Premature disclosure could affect the testimony of witnesses, and it could affect the behavior of targets" in several broad criminal investigations, Bittman pleaded.
Sammon reports: "When Judicial Watch first tried to subpoena Mrs. Tripp two weeks ago, the process server was turned away at Mrs. Tripp's Columbia, Maryland home by Starr representatives."
A second subpoena was accepted by Tripp's lawyer.
Judicial Watch chairman Larry Klayman was set to videotape Tripp in a discovery session for a lawsuit brought by victims of the FBI files episode.
Starr moved to block the testimony of his key witness, as Tripp's lawyer, Anthony Zaccagnini, moved to ban the video camera.
"Mr. Zaccagnini stated a likely concern of Ms. Tripp in being videotaped was that it would reduce her marketability to sell her story for television appearances," Klayman argued in a affidavit.
"Eventually, Mr. Zaccagnini decided it was not in his clients interest to be exposed after all and asked to excuse her," reports Sammon.
X X X X X
"President Clinton is the subject of a new Justice Department probe to determine whether an independent counsel should investigate allegations that he personally violated campaign spending laws during his 1996 re-election effort," the WASHINGTON POST reported in late
Thursday editions.
The president's private attorney David Kendall met with top Justice Department officials Wednesday in an effort to convince them that no further investigation was justified, says the paper.
"What specific information triggered the new inquiry could not be determined Wednesday night, but officials familiar with the matter said that it arrived at the Justice Department three weeks ago and prompted a fresh review of Clinton's role in orchestrating the DNC's advertising efforts." |
