Ken Starr’s Investigation

* Re “Starr’s Office Let Tripp Give Details to Jones’ Lawyers,” Oct. 11: This revelation that Kenneth Starr allowed Linda Tripp to talk to the Jones lawyers left me fuming in anger. It is inconceivable to me for an independent counsel, purported to be impartial, to be engaged in entrapment in the alleged perjury case against President Clinton or to orchestrate a crime to be committed to build his case. And this to the tune of $40 million of public money wasted. They--Starr, Tripp and the Jones lawyers--set the stage for Clinton to allegedly perjure himself. It’s almost like leading the cattle to the slaughterhouse. If this is not entrapment, I don’t know what is.

For Starr to now claim impartiality is a joke. If you believe him, then I have an oceanfront property for sale in Arizona.

An independent counsel to investigate independent counsel Starr ought to be appointed to determine whether he violated any laws.

ROGER BRIONES

Tustin

*

The Times had a front-page story outlining how the evil Tripp and scheming Starr set a perjury trap for our poor victimized president. How do you suppose one gets caught in a perjury trap?

SILAS MARIANO

Fontana

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We can no longer doubt there was a right-wing conspiracy to get Clinton. Now we have their names, and not-so-independent counsel Starr has been their conscientious agent. Conspiring to destroy a sitting president is “high crime” indeed, falling short of outright assassination. For it to go unpunished would mean our country has fallen under the influence of a de facto coup. The American people have a right to see this matter fully exposed and formally prosecuted. “It ain’t over till it’s over,” and this sure ain’t over yet!

KEN SHEFFER

San Dimas

*

Kudos to Daniel and Robert Hinerfeld, the father-son team who put the White House scandal where it originated, the Supreme Court (Commentary, Oct. 9). Unfortunately, they have also confirmed my worst fears that the country is run by a juristocracy consisting of the nine myopic Supreme Court justices who wouldn’t have seen Starr through a telescope Tripping over our fundamental right to privacy.

By all means, impeach Clinton and the nine members of the Supreme Court. After that the American people can address the remaining branches of government, the theocratic arm and the “mediacracy.” Jones vs. citizen Clinton was thrown out of court; how is it possible that President Clinton is now facing the kangaroo court of Congress?

AMELIA PEDRAZZI

Hacienda Heights

*

The Hinerfelds couldn’t be more off base. Blaming the court for the president’s current “distraction” is ridiculous. Even if you grant all of their wild charges, the bottom line remains that if Clinton had not lied in his deposition, he would not face impeachment today. The Supreme Court (with its Clinton appointees) voted unanimously to let the Jones lawsuit proceed--why imply court bias?

JEFF FLINT

Westminster

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If President Clinton is to be impeached for lying to the American people, his place in history is assured. He’ll be the first American to actually be tried by a jury of his peers.

DONALD KERNS

Garden Grove

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As a result of the polarizing congressional inquest, casting our votes in the November election will be turned into an ugly bipartisan fest. Democrats and Republicans alike will forgo their duty by either not voting or being biased and voting a straight party line instead of giving consideration to the qualities and positions of the individual candidates, regardless of party.

Thank Starr and the House Judiciary Committee Republican majority.

NICK NELL JR.

Los Angeles

*

Mr. President, please resign. The sex scandal, deceit and lack of integrity may not be impeachable, but they will prevent you from being an effective and credible president for your last two years. I, as a teacher in South-Central L.A., need your energy focused on improving education and other social issues. The nation can’t afford two years of image rebuilding. We need leadership now. Please do the right thing; spare us the ongoing circus. Step aside, so we can move forward.

SHANE McLOUD

Santa Monica

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Re “Clinton’s Enemies Are Feeling a Warm Glow,” Oct. 9: I suggest that while they organize the marshmallows and ready the stake for “Bubba’s” burning, they start thinking about all the people out there who can see through all the pious hand-wringing and breast-beating and are much more angry at Starr, the right-wingers and the media for trying to bully them into hating Clinton.

The dagger with which the Republicans hope to deliver the coup de grace could easily turn into an instrument for hara-kiri.

THOMAS THOMAS

Pacific Palisades

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The blatant 100% vote of Republicans for an impeachment inquiry against President Clinton showed a total disregard of the wishes of their constituencies and the best interest of the nation and the world. The Clintons (Bill and Hillary) are hard-working, intelligent leaders. Where can we get banners, stickers and pins saying “Stop Impeachment, Vote Democratic”?

DOREEN ALLEN

Pasadena

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Now we see how hypocritical the Democrats are. They are always whining about how the Republicans are not being bipartisan. The vote to hold hearings on Clinton was 258 to 176, with only 31 Democrats voting with the majority. During Nixon’s hearings, the vote was 410 to 4! Obviously it is the Democrats who hew to the party line, not Republicans. Let’s not be hearing any more about lack of bipartisanship from those losers.

C.D. CUSTER

Huntington Beach

*

Did someone switch centuries on me? Did Congress just initiate impeachment proceedings against a perfectly decent president who was caught lying about an affair in a sting operation orchestrated by a two-bit Torquemada?

RICHARD MARKEN

Los Angeles

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Starr is using his pornographic investigation to achieve a bloodless coup by the extreme right wing in America. In South American countries, a coup is achieved by bullets! How lucky can we get?

ANITA FRESCO

Los Angeles

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Amazing! How Starr has transformed himself into the Cotton Mather of the 20th century before the very eyes of our American public.

FRANKLIN GORDON

Goleta

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President Clinton must either resign or be impeached. Otherwise the rule of law has no meaning for the future.

MILDRED L. BROWN

Fullerton