Ginsburg Departs As Lewinsky's Attorney
Her new lawyers may seek to resume immunity discussions with Ken Starr
WASHINGTON (AllPolitics, June 2) -- Bill Ginsburg, who confounded Washington's legal community with his bizarre, free-wheeling defense of Monica Lewinsky, is out as the former White House intern's attorney.
 The Best Of Bill Ginsburg: His Most Memorable Quotes |
In Ginsburg's place, Lewinsky has hired two top-notch Washington attorneys: Jacob Stein, a former independent prosecutor, and Plato Cacheris, who represented Iran-Contra figure Fawn Hall.
Lewinsky's spokeswoman, Judy Smith, said Ginsburg and Lewinsky were parting "by mutual agreement" and Ginsburg was returning to his civil law practice in California.
Lewinsky's other counsel, Nathaniel Speights, will remain on her legal team.
Ginsburg told CNN he was not fired, but had been in discussion with Lewinsky, her father, Bernard Lewinsky and spokeswoman Smith "for a couple of weeks."
"And it's been my feeling if this thing is to be resolved short of indictment and full litigation, new faces were going to have to be found to do it," Ginsburg said. "And by mutual agreement we decided that Jacob Stein and Plato Cacheris should take over ... and negotiate this matter to a successful conclusion short of full litigation.
"It's up to Plato and Jacob Stein now," Ginsburg added. "I'm still available to speak on the independent counsel and other things. I'm not going to be a potted plant. But I
won't comment on the case because it would be unethical to do so."
One of the primary objectives of Lewinsky's
new legal team is to establish a more professional, cordial relationship with Independent Counsel Ken Starr in hopes of avoiding indictment of the former White House intern.
According to Smith, "There was a lot of personal bitterness and resentment with Ginsburg and Starr. It got personal and it got ugly. It changes the dynamic now."
Smith said Lewinsky's legal team has as one of its objectives "negotiating and working with a clean slate. We hope to avoid indictment."
A provocative open letter
Ginsburg's latest broadside -- and maybe the final straw for him -- was an open letter to Starr in the June issue of California Lawyer, in which he called the prosecutor an "anticonstitutional monster."
In its most eye-opening passage, Ginsburg wrote, "Congratulations, Mr. Starr! As a result of your callous disregard for cherished constitutional rights, you may have succeeded in unmasking a sexual relationship between two consenting adults."
But Ginsburg immediately said he did not mean to imply there had been a sexual relationship between his client and President Bill Clinton.
Starr is looking into reports Clinton lied under oath about whether he had a sexual relationship with Lewinsky and encouraged her to do the same. Clinton has denied both accusations.
Unlike many attorneys who are careful in their public pronouncements during a case, Ginsburg was a chatty figure as soon as he emerged in late January as Lewinsky's legal advocate. Once, early in the controversy, the bearded lawyer appeared on all five weekend televised public affairs shows to discuss the case.
Even before the "California Lawyer" article, though, Ginsburg had come under withering criticism as an outside-the-Beltway medical malpractice lawyer in over his head.
Ginsburg, a longtime Lewinsky family friend, brought some of it on himself with unlawyer-like comments.
Describing his relationship with the Lewinsky family, he said, "I was there at the beginning. I kissed that girl's inner thighs when she was six days old. I said, 'Look at those little polkas.' I truly am the avuncular Mr. Ginsburg."
More serious, though, was the breakdown of communications between the Lewinsky team and Starr's office. The two sides talked at length, but then fought over whether Lewinsky had a binding immunity agreement.
A judge said she did not, and there was speculation last week Starr might be poised to indict Lewinsky for perjury or obstruction of justice.
Ginsburg said Tuesday he did not think he had been too outspoken. "I think this man [Starr] represents a danger to our democracy and I will continue to say that," he said.
The attorney will return to his legal practice, specializing in medical malpractice, health care and corporate issues.
"It's been a very interesting experience," Ginsburg said. "My relationship with Bernie Lewinsky remains strong and we have been for 25 years."
Asked about Monica Lewinsky, Ginsburg said: "I make no comment about my relationship with Monica because to do so would be to interfere with her new lawyers' representation with her and she deserves every chance with her new lawyers."
In a written statement, Starr's spokesman, Charles Bakaly, said Starr respects Lewinsky's new lawyers.
"Judge Starr has known Jake Stein and Plato Cacheris for many years and has a great deal of respect for both of them. Judge Starr worked with Mr. Stein when Mr. Stein represented former Senator [Robert] Packwood and Judge Starr was appointed hearing examiner for the Senate Ethics Committee and reviewed Senator Packwood's diary and Judge Starr believes Mr. Stein represented his client with distinction."
CNN's Frank Sesno, Wolf Blitzer and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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