Ray sworn in as Starr's successor

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Robert Ray was sworn in as the successor to Independent Counsel Ken Starr on Monday, inheriting a highly controversial investigation and the duty to write the special prosecutor's final report.

"I accept this duty with a keen recognition of the weightiness of the matters that have been entrusted to the office," he said. "I come to this task with a firm commitment to the legal and judicial process."

Ray, appearing outside the federal courthouse in Washington accompanied, by his wife Kristen, children, parents and other family, thanked Starr for "extraordinary service to the country at great personal sacrifice over the past five years."


Robert Ray was sworn in Monday to succeed Independent Counsel Ken Starr

"He gave a lot to this country," Ray said.

Ray pledged that he and his assistant prosecutors will be "thorough and fair to discharge the weighty matters and mandates that have been given our office and to continue the work of this investigation in a prompt, responsible and cost-effective manner."

Starr's investigation, which he took over from former Independent Counsel Robert Fiske, was controversial and lost much public support in the face of incessant criticism from presidential supporters. One member of the three-judge panel that appointed Ray hinted at the public fatigue and called for a speedy conclusion.

"There can be no more vital consideration now than closure with all deliberate speed," Senior Circuit Judge Richard Cudahy wrote. "Our selection of Robert Ray carries much promise."

The two other judges did not refer to a speedy end to the probe in their order.

Before coming to Starr's office earlier this year, Ray had worked for Independent Counsel Donald Smaltz, who unsuccessfully prosecuted former Agriculture Secretary Mike Espy.

On Friday, White House spokesman Joe Lockhart said that "it's somewhat of a dubious proposition that someone involved both in the Espy investigation and the Starr operation" is "getting a promotion."

Starr said Monday in a CNN interview that Ray should be allowed to do his job.

"Unfortunately, we have seen already that a duly appointed career prosecutor, a career prosecutor, has already come under criticism and I think that's very unfortunate," Starr said. "Let's depoliticize it. Let's say that is now in the hands of very distinguished career prosecutor, Bob Ray."

Ray was a registered Democrat in New York City until January 1998. He ran twice for the school board in New York City in non-partisan elections, losing both times. Ray now is a registered voter in New Jersey unaffiliated with any political party.

In recent years, he made four donations totaling $90 in support of Republicans -- three to then-Sen. Alfonse D'Amato and one to the Republican National Committee.

The 39-year-old Ray has extensive experience as a prosecutor from his work as an assistant U.S. attorney in the southern district of New York starting in 1989. In that capacity, he supervised and worked on a number of public corruption and organized crime prosecutions.

He joined Smaltz's office in 1995 and won convictions against a Tyson Foods executive and a Tyson lobbyist in the probe of illegal gifts to Espy.

Upon moving to Starr's office early this year, Ray helped prosecute Webster Hubbell, a longtime presidential friend and former associate attorney general.

Hubbell pleaded guilty to a felony in June for allegedly concealing his and Hillary Rodham Clinton's legal work on a fraudulent Arkansas land deal owned by her Whitewater partner, Jim McDougal, and Hubbell's father-in-law, Little Rock businessman Seth Ward. Hubbell says he knows of no wrongdoing by the first lady.

Ray will take over what remains of what was once an investigation into Whitewater, a long-ago Arkansas real estate deal involving Bill and Hillary Clinton -- an investigation Starr took over in 1994.

During his tenure, Starr spent more than $47 million on the investigation of the president and first lady that began with the Whitewater and spread to the Monica Lewinsky probe.

Ray will wrap up the probe into the White House travel office firings as well as questions about whether Kathleen Willey was illegally pressured to remain quiet about her accusation that Clinton fondled her in a room off the Oval Office.

There will also be a final report which is likely to be months away. Two months ago, Starr pledged the report will be issued "well before next year's election."

The report could cause some political headaches for the first lady if she officially launches a campaign to capture a Senate seat in New York.

The news of Starr's decision to step down does not come as a complete surprise. On August 18, CNN reported Starr had been involved in "theoretical discussions" about stepping aside. More recently, federal judges who oversee the independent counsels had been interviewed several possible successors.

Although the law authorizing the appointment of independent counsels expired months ago, Starr's investigation as well as the other independent counsel investigations still under consideration remain in place.

Starr resigned once before in February 1997 to take a job at Pepperdine University in California. But he withdrew his resignation within days after coming under heavy criticism for leaving the post before his investigation was completed.

CNN's Bob Franken and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Ray sworn in as Starr's successor

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Monday, October 18, 1999