Clinton's Attorney Asks To Review Starr Report Before It Goes To Congress
By Bob Franken/CNN
WASHINGTON (Sept. 7) -- President Bill Clinton's personal attorney has sent a letter to Independent Counsel Ken Starr asking to review any impeachment report before it goes to Congress.
David Kendall, Clinton's attorney, wrote to Starr requesting "a brief opportunity" to review the information "before it is transmitted."
The letter, dated Monday, was provided to CNN by Kendall's office amid indications that Starr's report to Congress would be sent in the next two weeks, specifying, in the language of the independent counsel statute, "... any substantial and credible information ... that may constitute grounds for impeachment."
Kendall wrote:
"If the (Office of Independent Counsel) does decide to transmit to the House of Representatives not merely the 'information' it has gathered, but some form of 'report' or summary containing any factual and legal analysis or conclusions, we believe that fundamental fairness dictates that we have the opportunity to review such a document and submit simultaneously any reply we wish to make."
Kendall's letter confirms earlier speculation that there would probably be a response from the president's side to a Starr report.
The lawyer went on to request that Starr give Clinton's legal team "one week to submit a written reply ... together with your draft documents for possible transmission to the House of Representatives."
Kendall wants some sort of proceeding in front of Chief Judge Norma Holloway Johnson to discuss the ways to handle documents and transcripts that until now have been kept secret.
House sources tell CNN that those secrecy rules would not necessarily apply once that material reaches Congress.
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