|
White House thanks Starr for Filegate and Travelgate absolution, but insists testimony reveals nothing new
Updated November 19, 1998
3:21 p.m. ET
WASHINGTON (Court TV) — Though grateful that Kenneth Starr has absolved President Clinton and First Lady Hillary Clinton of the Travelgate and Filegate scandals, the White House said the acquittal was overdue and maintained that the independent counsel's impeachment hearing testimony revealed nothing new.
"It is clear to me that the hearing is bitterly partisan," White House counsel Greg Craig said. "Mr. Starr's testimony have revealed no new information. However, we are happy to learn that Starr has finally — and belatedly — absolved the president and Mrs. Clinton of any wrongdoing in the Travelgate and Filegate matters. This should have happened several months, if not years, ago. But we thank the independent counsel."
Employing days of rehearsed tactics and preparation, Starr tried to rehabilitate his demonized public image at Thursday's hearings as he calmly focused on Clinton's alleged offenses. Starr was composed and scholarly as he stressed that Clinton orchestrated an elaborate "scheme to deceive," using the power of his office, his attorney Robert Bennett, and White House staff to cover up his affair with Monica Lewinsky.
Clinton had plenty of opportunities to give truthful testimony about his relationship with Lewinsky, Starr said, and at each opportunity he chose to lie. The president may have suspected that the Jones sexual harassment suit was politically driven, but Starr said that was no excuse for him to lie under oath.
"No one is above the law," Starr continued. "No one is entitled to lie under oath even if they believe a suit is frivolous, financially motivated or politically motivated."
In addition, Starr reportedly was scheduled to address the media following his testimony before the Judiciary Committee.
Despite being in the middle of a five-day business trip to Asia, President Clinton could not escape the shadow of the impeachment hearings. During a town-hall meeting in Tokyo, Clinton was asked how he had apologized for the affair to wife and daughter Chelsea and whether they had forgiven him. The president said that he apologized to them in a "direct and straightforward manner" and that he believed that his wife and daughter had forgiven him.
—Bryan Robinson
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
| 
Full Coverage