In his Sept. 16 talk, sponsored by the Yale Political Union, independent counsel Kenneth Starr said indepedent counsels are "especially vulnerable to attack" by politicans and the public.

Kenneth Starr says post of independent counsel is ineffectual

Although the office of the independent counsel has been a fixture on the U.S. political landscape since the days of Watergate, the post is inherently flawed and should be eliminated, Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr told a packed Battell Chapel during his visit to Yale on Sept. 16. Starr, whose investigation of Bill Clinton led to the President's impeachment by the U.S. House of Representatives last year, came to the University as a guest of the Yale Political Union, an undergraduate organization devoted to promoting political discourse on campus. During his talk, Starr argued in favor of the Political Union's debate statement "Resolved: Congress was correct in not renewing the Independent Counsel Statute." Although he rarely alluded to his own experience in the independent counsel's office, which he described as "a fourth branch of government," Starr did note that "independent counsels are especially vulnerable to attack" by both politicians and the public. "The independent counsel doesn't have the jurisdiction to investigate all avenues available to the Attorney General," Starr said, adding that such restrictions create delays in the process, as the independent counsel is forced to go to the courts to have his investigative authority expanded. This, in turn, "opens the independent counsel to the accusation of exceeding his jurisdiction," he said. Furthermore, contended Starr, not only is there an intrinsic partisan animosity between the office of the independent counsel and the Justice Department, but "the independent counsel is dependent on and vulnerable to the administration for the investigation." T H I SW E E K ' SS T O R I E S Ex-Secretary of State will present talk at YCIAS Yale modifies Divinity School renovation plan New office to help meet needs of University's international scholars Taste-test to top tribute to insects Soderstrom to carry on work of his predecessors in OCR Artist's depictions of Victorian-era Britain featured in show Cutting dollars for mental health care increased medical costs, study shows 'Seminars help medical students learn how to become 'culturally competent' Conference to explore diverse topics in women's health Study shows affect of long-term abuse of cocaine lingers in brain even after years of abstinence Blacks undermined by lack of wealth, sociologist argues Kenneth Starr says post of independent counsel is ineffectual Biblical figure of Eve is theme of works in Slifka Center exhibit Staged reading of Shaw's 'Philanderer' to include little-known fourth act Gerstein's work for Human Genome Project gets $1 million boost from Keck Foundation New laboratories will seek a cure for spinal cord injuries Research offers insights into enzyme that makes cancer cells grow Dr. Harvey Kaetz dies; was internist and oncologist Memorial service to be held Oct. 1 for Dr. Robert Byck Benefit will kick off Dr. Mel Goldstein Fund for research on bone marrow cancer 1999-2000 University Directory arriving soon Peabody Museum hosting open house for would-be volunteers . . . In the News . . . New program will bring postdoctoral scholars to Whitney Humanities Center Talk and dedication open fall Humanities in Medicine series Allan R. Wagner receives award for scientific work Yale affiliates featured in 'Books Sandwiched In' Campus Notes Bulletin Home|Visiting on Campus| Calendar of Events|Bulletin Board Classified Ads|Search Archives|Production Schedule|Bulletin Staff Public Affairs Home|News Releases| E-Mail Us|Yale Home Page