Starr Appeals Judge's Sanctions Over Leaks
Grand jury hears Secret Service testimony
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Larry Cockell
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WASHINGTON (AllPolitics, July 21) -- Independent Counsel Ken Starr and lawyers for President Bill Clinton, the White House and Monica Lewinsky all showed up Tuesday morning for a U.S. Court of Appeals hearing on alleged news leaks by Starr's office, sources told CNN.
It was crowded at the federal courthouse as the Lewinsky grand jury separately heard testimony from Secret Service agents and officers. Lead agent Larry Cockell's scheduled testimony has been put off until Thursday, though, because the grand jury is running behind.
Sources told CNN the morning's closed-door appeals hearing was on U.S. District Court Judge Norma Holloway Johnson's secret ruling in recent days sanctioning Starr for allegedly leaking grand jury information to the news media.
Starr appealed Johnson's ruling, and in particular, was fighting an order that he turn over documents and other evidence related to possible illegal leaks to the news media.
According to lawyers familiar with the investigation, Johnson's order also included steps preventing Starr from gathering certain evidence.
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Judge Norma Holloway Johnson
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"It was more than a slap on the wrist," said one lawyer.
Previously, Starr had not suffered many legal setbacks at the hands of Judge Johnson.
In addition to Starr, the parade of lawyers who went up to the fifth-floor appeals court area included Lewinsky attorneys Plato Cacheris, Jacob Stein and Nathaniel Speights; Clinton attorneys David Kendall and Bob Bennett; and attorney Neil Eggleston, counsel to presidential confidant Bruce Lindsey. Lindsey is fighting a subpoena by the Starr on the grounds of attorney-client privilege.
The White House has complained for months about Starr's allegedly leaking secret grand jury information to the news media.
In February, Kendall filed a motion with the court asking for a contempt citation against Starr for allegedly leaking secret grand jury testimony. Starr has denied any improper behavior.
Starr's office is under strict orders not to comment. A senior Justice Department official said Justice has not been told about the judge's ruling but added that it could determine whether to opens its own investigation into alleged leaks by Starr.
Starr ratchets up pressure on Lewinsky
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Betty Currie
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Through the week Starr will continue his push of high-profile witnesses. Linda Tripp was scheduled to resume her testimony Tuesday, but that appearance has been postponed to Wednesday. Betty Currie, Clinton's personal secretary, is on notice she also could be called this week.
One of the few who will not show this week is Lewinsky, who is not even in town.
While the former White House intern remains in California, Starr's strategy appears to be to ratchet up the pressure on Lewinsky.
The Secret Service agents and officers will be asked about the times they saw Lewinsky around the president.
Starr is investigating allegations that Clinton had a sexual relationship with Lewinsky and asked her to lie about it in the Paula Jones civil lawsuit. The president has repeatedly denied both charges.
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Linda Tripp
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Tripp, the woman who triggered the investigation by turning over tapes to Starr of her former friend reportedly discussing her relationship with the president, was scheduled to spend her seventh day Tuesday discussing her intimate conversations with Lewinsky.
Currie could have more to say about Lewinsky's visits to the White House, after the former intern was transferred to a Pentagon job, and about gifts Lewinsky may have exchanged with the president.
The grand jury meets for three days this week, not the usual two. Still, Starr's spokesman denies there is any hurry to finish up the investigation, despite criticism it has already gone far too long.
CNN's Wolf Blitzer and Bob Franken contributed to this report.
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