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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."
STARR: Yes.
STARR: Yes.
STARR: Yes.
STARR: Yes.
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.
STARR: Yes.
STARR: Yes.
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.
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.
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.
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.
JACKSON LEE: The ABA code of professional responsibility says in considering ethics, the roles of an advocate and off a witness are inconsistent.
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?
With that, Mr. Chairman, I have no further questions. SENSENBRENNER: The gentlewoman's time has expired and the witness will answer the question.
JACKSON LEE: Thank you Mr. Chairman. I thank the witness. |
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