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SENSENBRENNER: Gentleman's time has expired. The gentle woman from Texas, Ms. Jackson Lee.

jackson.lee.jpg (3223 bytes)JACKSON LEE: I thank the chairman very much. And I thank Mr. Starr for being here, and I acknowledge Mr. Starr, that this has been a long day. I noticed that you went to the, to Duke University and just having gone to law school just up the road, I will not compete with you today from the University of Virginia.

But I have to disagree with some of my colleagues. One I want to restate the fact that we are not here to undermine you. And I also would like to repeat the chairman's notice given that it appears that the president has been cleared, the chairman used passed on Whitewater, Filegate and Travelgate. I think that is an important announcement today.

But I do want to refer you to the words of Congressman Butler of Massachusetts who indicated in defining the impeachable offenses in the instance of Andrew Johnson that, high crimes and misdemeanors would be one in its nature or consequences subversive of some fundamental or essential principle of government, or highly prejudicial to the principle interests, and this may consist of a violation of the Constitution.

I am going to make some comments and then have a brief question, if you would indulge me. I noticed also that you have lifted, for our attention, your referral of September 11, 1998. During my questioning, I want to lift for our understanding, the Constitution. And I say that because in reflection of what we're doing, I have read over and over our late colleague's comments in 1974, Barbara Jordan who said, "my faith in the Constitution is whole, it is complete and it is total."

I understand her now even better, her being a child of a segregated South, I understand what she meant. But Felix Frank (ph) further said also, "one who belonged to the most vilified and persecuted minority in history is not likely to be insensitive to the freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution."

I ask you Mr. Starr, do you believe that the president, as any other citizen, has the privilege of the Fifth Amendment? I just want a yes.

STARR: Yes.

JACKSON LEE: And that would go for Monica Lewinsky and Sarah Hawkins (ph), who happened to have appeared as a witness or was questioned. Is that accurate.

STARR: Yes.

JACKSON LEE: Monica Lewinsky's mother, Mrs. Lewis?

STARR: Yes.

JACKSON LEE: And of course, Susan McDougal?

STARR: Yes.

JACKSON LEE: Would be subject to the rights and privileges of the Fifth Amendment.

STARR: Yes.

JACKSON LEE: On page 30 of your testimony, when you went in for expanded jurisdiction, 30 and 31, it was a recounting of what occurred.

And I noticed in that recounting, there was not one time that you mentioned Paula Jones. Yet as I understand it, you had a lawyer at a law firm that you were associated with. Were you associated with the firm of Kirkland & Ellis?

STARR: Yes.

JACKSON LEE: Was Mr. Richard Porter associated with the firm of Kirkland & Ellis?

STARR: Yes.

JACKSON LEE: And I note that Mr. Richard Ellis was asked to serve as council to Ms. Jones. Now he did not serve as that, as I understand. Further, I understand that Kirkland & Ellis prepared pro- bono legal documents for what we called the women's legal forum. Is that correct?

STARR: With respect to the latter question, yes. And if I could, very briefly...

JACKSON LEE: Would you briefly, my time is short.

STARR: Because that is the area that I do have personal information and knowledge on, with respect to the Independent Women's Forum.

JACKSON LEE: I would simply say just in the answers that you have given today, and with the understanding of due process, I would say to you Mr. Starr, that it seems quite shocking to me that in the course of seeking expanded jurisdiction, that you did not include those contacts, although you noted on the record today, oh, I thought that was so widely known that it would not need mentioning.

But put yourself in a courtroom setting where the prosecutor did not divulge particularly devastating conflict of interest matters to a defendant, and I think due process would come into play.

Let me quickly move to my next question keeping in mind the shortness of my time. Would you tell me Mr. Starr, are you a member of the Virginia Bar? Virginia's Bar?

STARR: Yes, I'm an inactive member of the Virginia Bar.

JACKSON LEE: But you are a member of the bar, of the Virginia Bar?

STARR: Yes.

JACKSON LEE: And I am likewise, an inactive member of that bar. Have you ever been or are you a member of the American Bar Association?

STARR: I am.

JACKSON LEE: With that in mind, let me draw your attention to the Virginia Code of Ethics, and might I read it very quickly.

If after undertaking employment in contemplating or pending litigation, a lawyer learns or it is obvious that he or a lawyer in his firm ought to be called as a witness on behalf of his client, he shall withdraw from the conduct of the trial and his firm.

JACKSON LEE: The ABA code of professional responsibility says in considering ethics, the roles of an advocate and off a witness are inconsistent.

The function of an advocate is to advance or argue the cause of another, while that of a witness is to state facts objectively. Take a judge for example.

sensenbrenner.jpg (2773 bytes)SENSENBRENNER: Gentlewoman's time has expired.

jackson-lee.jpg (1881 bytes)JACKSON LEE: I ask the chairman to indulge me 30 seconds, if you he would. I thank the chairman very much.

SENSENBRENNER: The chair will time the gentlewoman.

JACKSON LEE: Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Let me simply paint the picture for you. I've served as a judge. I've been a somewhat of a prosecutor on a select committee on assassinations and you've done many things.

But I would simply say to you how can you move from the prosecutor's chair to the judge's chair, to the witness chair in any court in America, Mr. Starr?

I cannot believe that any American would perceive any justice as the constitution so says of having to defend against a prosecutor who acts as a judge and who acts as a witness.

With that, Mr. Chairman, I have no further questions.

SENSENBRENNER: The gentlewoman's time has expired and the witness will answer the question.

STARR: I believe that we have in fact and that I personally have complied with applicable ethical codes. I would happy to focus on any specific issue under the Virginia code.

JACKSON LEE: Thank you Mr. Chairman. I thank the witness.

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