Clinton Lawyer Files Contempt Motion Against Starr
By Wolf Blitzer/CNN
WASHINGTON (May 6) -- President Bill Clinton's private attorney filed a sealed
motion Wednesday with federal judge Norma Holloway Johnson asking that
Independent Counsel Ken Starr be held in contempt of court for leaking secret
grand jury information to the news media. Judge Johnson is overseeing the
grand jury investigating the Monica Lewinsky affair, as well as other aspects of Starr's investigation of Clinton.
The lawyer, David Kendall, said the White House, as well as top aides Bruce
Lindsey and Sidney Blumenthal, have joined the motion.
Kendall is accusing Starr's office of leaking word Tuesday about the judge's decision to reject the president's assertion of executive privilege. That would have allowed Lindsey and Blumenthal not to answer some of Starr's grand jury questions.
Kendall cited a report Tuesday by Fox News which twice attributed the information to the Office of the Independent Counsel.
"It is disappointing that your commitment to your secrecy obligations under
Rule 6(e) ... is only verbal," Kendall wrote.
Kendall also attacked Starr for failing to honor his earlier promise to end leaks from his office.
"I regret the need to file another show-cause motion," Kendall writes, "but the contempt process is apparently the only way to force your office to meet its legal obligations."
|
News
Lewinsky