Starr Inquiry Could Face Outside Probe

WASHINGTON —  The Justice Department is considering whether an outside lawyer should investigate independent counsel Kenneth W. Starr’s inquiry into President Clinton’s relationship with Monica S. Lewinsky, officials said Thursday.

Department officials notified Starr earlier this month of their plans to launch an investigation, but he objected and proposed that one be conducted outside the Justice Department, a position that has been supported by key Republicans in Congress.

The Justice Department has yet to decide whether to turn the investigation over to a respected senior lawyer outside the department or let it be run by its own Office of Professional Responsibility, which handles allegations of prosecutorial misconduct.

Deputy Atty. Gen. Eric Holder declined to comment on the matter but said the department was keeping its options open.

One allegation under review is that Starr’s prosecutors violated Justice Department procedures when they first confronted Lewinsky last year and discussed an immunity deal while she did not have a lawyer present. It has also been alleged that the Starr prosecutors failed to disclose to the Justice Department their contacts with the Paula Jones legal team.