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Contempt: A Memoir of the Clinton Investigation
Twenty years after the Starr Report and the Clinton impeachment, former special prosecutor Ken Starr finally shares his definitive account of one of the most divisive periods in American history.
You could fill a library with books about the scandals of the Clinton administration, which eventually led to President Clinton's impeachment by the House of Representatives. Bill and Hillary Clinton have told their version of events, as have various journalists and participants. Whenever liberals recall those years, they usually depict independent counsel Ken Starr as an out-of-control, politically driven prosecutor.
But as a New York Times columnist asked in 2017, "What if Ken Starr was right?" What if the popular media in the 1990s completely misunderstood Starr's motives, his tactics, and his ultimate goal: to ensure that no one, especially not the president of the United States, is above the law?
Starr -- the man at the eye of the hurricane -- has kept his unique perspective to himself for two full decades. In this long-awaited memoir, he finally sheds light on everything he couldn't tell us during the Clinton years, even in his carefully detailed "Starr Report" of September 1998.
Contempt puts you, the reader, into the shoes of Starr and his team as they tackle the many scandals of that era, from Whitewater to Vince Foster's death to Travelgate to Monica Lewinsky. Starr explains in vivid detail how all those scandals shared a common thread: the Clintons' contempt for our system of justice.
This book proves that Bill and Hillary Clinton weren't victims of a so-called "vast right-wing conspiracy." They played fast and loose with the law and abused their powers and privileges.
With the perspective we've all gained over the past two decades, Starr's story and insights are more relevant than ever.
You could fill a library with books about the scandals of the Clinton administration, which eventually led to President Clinton's impeachment by the House of Representatives. Bill and Hillary Clinton have told their version of events, as have various journalists and participants. Whenever liberals recall those years, they usually depict independent counsel Ken Starr as an out-of-control, politically driven prosecutor.
But as a New York Times columnist asked in 2017, "What if Ken Starr was right?" What if the popular media in the 1990s completely misunderstood Starr's motives, his tactics, and his ultimate goal: to ensure that no one, especially not the president of the United States, is above the law?
Starr -- the man at the eye of the hurricane -- has kept his unique perspective to himself for two full decades. In this long-awaited memoir, he finally sheds light on everything he couldn't tell us during the Clinton years, even in his carefully detailed "Starr Report" of September 1998.
Contempt puts you, the reader, into the shoes of Starr and his team as they tackle the many scandals of that era, from Whitewater to Vince Foster's death to Travelgate to Monica Lewinsky. Starr explains in vivid detail how all those scandals shared a common thread: the Clintons' contempt for our system of justice.
This book proves that Bill and Hillary Clinton weren't victims of a so-called "vast right-wing conspiracy." They played fast and loose with the law and abused their powers and privileges.
With the perspective we've all gained over the past two decades, Starr's story and insights are more relevant than ever.
312 pages, Hardcover
First published September 11, 2018
355 people are currently reading
516 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews
September 14, 2018
This is an easy quick read. It provides a coherent explanation of the issues and process of the investigation and offers up interesting new information known only to the investigators up to this point.
I read this because I met young Ken Starr when he clerked for Chief Justice Burger and liked him very much. He seemed then to be extremely intelligent, kind, and empathetic. The press caricature of him during the Lewinsky scandal never rang true to me. The man I met shows through in this book.
I don't think he was suited to take on the independent counsel role in Washington, however. His tendency to see the good in most everyone and to expect to be treated as he would treat others made him a seal swimming with sharks. He puts a bright a face on his role as independent counsel, but I think taking it on ruined his reputation and crashed the arc of his professional career, and that's a shame. He is a great talent who might otherwise have been appointed to the Supreme Court and served honorably and well.
I read this because I met young Ken Starr when he clerked for Chief Justice Burger and liked him very much. He seemed then to be extremely intelligent, kind, and empathetic. The press caricature of him during the Lewinsky scandal never rang true to me. The man I met shows through in this book.
I don't think he was suited to take on the independent counsel role in Washington, however. His tendency to see the good in most everyone and to expect to be treated as he would treat others made him a seal swimming with sharks. He puts a bright a face on his role as independent counsel, but I think taking it on ruined his reputation and crashed the arc of his professional career, and that's a shame. He is a great talent who might otherwise have been appointed to the Supreme Court and served honorably and well.
November 24, 2018
An important book and not only politically but for the #MeToo movement. While Bill Clinton has been defined as serial rapist(p 249 and photos of The Making of the President 2016) and perjuring himself which the Arkansas Supreme Court censored his law license (p 301 of this book) and fined him $850,00 for sexual harassment of Paula Jones( p 300 of this book). I had no idea of his sexual escapades with Monica Lewinsky. Monica detailed 10 times about their sordid affair and even when she produced the infamous blue dress with semen stains on it, Bill refused to acknowledge that he was her lover-even after they drew his blood and the DNA matched !!(p 231 of his book)
So if you can get by the moral disgust of Clinton seducing a girl who was his daughters age- the perjury that he committed gives rise to the title of this aptly named book-contempt for the law, contempt for women and contempt for the American people.
So if you can get by the moral disgust of Clinton seducing a girl who was his daughters age- the perjury that he committed gives rise to the title of this aptly named book-contempt for the law, contempt for women and contempt for the American people.
September 26, 2018
"But the now-fading Clinton years were starkly different, culturally and politically, in terms of respecting the rights of all persons, especially those subject to the exploitative hands of the powerful. Both as governor and as President, Clinton could malign his jettisoned paramours and victims with little if any consequence. In those days, oddly, no one seemed to care about the exploitative power arrangement. That was just Saturday Night Bill from Hot Springs, Arkansas.
Those days thankfully are gone. And so, it would appear, are the Clintons, Tragically, their legacy, despite their accomplishments, despite their talents, is, above all, contempt: contempt for the rule of law that binds us together as citizens, and contempt for human beings -- especially women -- as inherently worthy of dignity and respect."
I would like to think that things had changed but unfortunately, this judicial appointment process has proved this to be a false hope. Judge Kenneth Starr has written a powerful and infinitely readable book and one that should be read to remind you of who the Clintons really are and keep you from romanticizing who you want them to be.
Those days thankfully are gone. And so, it would appear, are the Clintons, Tragically, their legacy, despite their accomplishments, despite their talents, is, above all, contempt: contempt for the rule of law that binds us together as citizens, and contempt for human beings -- especially women -- as inherently worthy of dignity and respect."
I would like to think that things had changed but unfortunately, this judicial appointment process has proved this to be a false hope. Judge Kenneth Starr has written a powerful and infinitely readable book and one that should be read to remind you of who the Clintons really are and keep you from romanticizing who you want them to be.
December 31, 2018
It was interesting to learn details about a time in political history that I lived through but only knew sound bites and headlines about. Starr did a great job of showing the parallels to cultural events pre- and post Clintons. As a fan of history I appreciated the care he took to connect the pieces and timeline. This book felt historically significant and relevant in today’s culture. I got goosebumps at the end.
September 14, 2018
"Facts are stubborn thing"
Compelling account of history which should be read by readers from the Left and Right. In a conversational style, Starr recounts the facts of the investigation. Mesmerizing.
Compelling account of history which should be read by readers from the Left and Right. In a conversational style, Starr recounts the facts of the investigation. Mesmerizing.
November 5, 2018
Ken Starr's "Contempt" offers a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at President Bill Clinton's scandals that manages to undercut itself through Starr's sanctimonious tone.
The memoir starts strong and offers a damning portrait of the Clintons throughout, methodically recounting credible allegations of the couple's dishonest, corrupt and illegal behaviors.
Then Starr gets obnoxious and partisan, made all the more irritating through the unconvincing attempt at a nonpartisan veneer. Starr repeatedly tries to settle scores with the Democratic Party while offering a perspective on the Republican Party that lacks the level of scrutiny he applies to his critical enemies.
If Starr could've gotten out of his own way and over his own ego, this would have been a stellar book. Instead, we're left with a great book hiding inside a flawed package of self-satisfied opining.
The memoir starts strong and offers a damning portrait of the Clintons throughout, methodically recounting credible allegations of the couple's dishonest, corrupt and illegal behaviors.
Then Starr gets obnoxious and partisan, made all the more irritating through the unconvincing attempt at a nonpartisan veneer. Starr repeatedly tries to settle scores with the Democratic Party while offering a perspective on the Republican Party that lacks the level of scrutiny he applies to his critical enemies.
If Starr could've gotten out of his own way and over his own ego, this would have been a stellar book. Instead, we're left with a great book hiding inside a flawed package of self-satisfied opining.
January 3, 2019
Its almost tragic to think about Ken Starr's career. A man well on his way to be a Supreme Court Justice, but then passed over for the then-unknown Souter. Starr then takes the thankless job to investigate a likable president. It might of ended quiet enough if the investigation was kept to the Whitewater deal but then the Lewinsky situation falls on his desk. He attempted to pass it off to the DOJ but the AG deferred it to him. Then the fun began, and Starr today is seen as a vehemently partisan and controversial figure. You feel bad for him in finishing the book.
Starr recounts the incident in a lucid way, avoiding the legalese. His biggest target is Hillary who he sees as manipulative and dishonest. It's an enjoyable and useful read, especially for those too young to remember the Clinton years.
Starr recounts the incident in a lucid way, avoiding the legalese. His biggest target is Hillary who he sees as manipulative and dishonest. It's an enjoyable and useful read, especially for those too young to remember the Clinton years.
September 25, 2018
Clintons-Rotten to the Core
Like the founding fathers Starr did his best for our country only to be punished by the lowest, most disgusting creeps of our time. Starr can live with what he did.
Like the founding fathers Starr did his best for our country only to be punished by the lowest, most disgusting creeps of our time. Starr can live with what he did.
October 15, 2018
A Personal Recollection of an Historical Time
I am impressed by Mr. Starr's ability to describe his own role dispassionately (as opposed to the self-serving manner of both of the Clintons'.
I am impressed by Mr. Starr's ability to describe his own role dispassionately (as opposed to the self-serving manner of both of the Clintons'.
May 10, 2019
It was enlightening to read about the Clinton Investigation from Ken Starr himself. Boy did the US dodge a bullet when Hillary wasn't elected President. What a corrupt, greedy, evil couple!
April 22, 2019
Not many prosecutors are as talented and principled is Ken Starr. Today, the law in politics is purely political. The Clintons, their defense team, and their allies (mentioned in this memoir) including Maxine Waters, Chuck Schumer, Janet Reno, and then deputy DOJ secretary Eric Holder set the new standard for political hackery and it continues today.
In addition to the obvious scandals involving Monica Lewinskty and Paula Jones, Starr also discusses his work on the Whitewater investigation along with the McDougall convictions, the Vince Foster investigation, and suspicions regarding the Clinton's purge of the entire White House travel office. Although they are mentioned. he doesn't go into much detail regarding the numerous other affairs he had with other women such as Gennifer Flowers, and sexual harassment allegations made by Kathleen Willey and Juanita Broaddrick among others. Starr approaches each subject at a professional level, absent all the salacious and detailed information that one might expect.
Throughout the investigation it was proven that Clinton had committed a lot more than perjury. By extension he also committed obstruction of justice, evidence tampering, and witness tampering. This came to light after Clinton's own secretary ultimately admitted that he had persuaded her to lie and hide evidence.
"The President employed his power and prerogatives to further an enterprise aimed at shielding himself from the rule of law."
In hindsight, despite the fact that Clinton should have been removed from office for his crimes, I consider it a blessing he was allowed to fill out his second term paving the way for a Republican to be elected the next president. Knowing what we know now about Al Gore and what awaited the nation and the world in 2001, a Gore presidency would have most likely meant devastating consequences for our country. Upon filling Clinton's vacated spot, he would have no doubt been elected to a second and possibly third term.
HILLARY
Hillary Clinton is the type of person who, after brutally murdering someone, could turn around, look you straight in the eye and confidently deny having any knowledge of it. There is no doubt that she is extremely intelligent and talented. She is also undeniably downright evil. Furthermore, there is no question that Hillary is a pathological liar and cheater.
"Hillary's extraordinary lapses of memory especially for a lawyer and self-described policy wonk were not credible."
In White House depositions during the Whitewater scandal era, Hillary claimed ignorance and selective amnesia using her notorious line, "I don't recall....." This happened 20 years before her 2016 presidential campaign. Remember how she displayed the same kind of behavior during the Benghazi scandal investigation AND during the email Scandal investigation? The media and her supporters including the Department of Justice attempted to attribute these so-called "lapses of memory" to old age. Yea.... what a bunch of bull.
MICHAEL MOORE TERRORIZES THE STARR FAMILY
At some point during the trial the notorious and fanatical provocateur, Michael Moore, appeared with his hired crew at the residence of Ken Starr to stalk and harass his family and his neighbors in order to garner personal publicity. During one of these stunts, Starr's own daughter was forced to climb fences and cross neighbor yards in order to arrive safely to school.
In addition to the obvious scandals involving Monica Lewinskty and Paula Jones, Starr also discusses his work on the Whitewater investigation along with the McDougall convictions, the Vince Foster investigation, and suspicions regarding the Clinton's purge of the entire White House travel office. Although they are mentioned. he doesn't go into much detail regarding the numerous other affairs he had with other women such as Gennifer Flowers, and sexual harassment allegations made by Kathleen Willey and Juanita Broaddrick among others. Starr approaches each subject at a professional level, absent all the salacious and detailed information that one might expect.
Throughout the investigation it was proven that Clinton had committed a lot more than perjury. By extension he also committed obstruction of justice, evidence tampering, and witness tampering. This came to light after Clinton's own secretary ultimately admitted that he had persuaded her to lie and hide evidence.
"The President employed his power and prerogatives to further an enterprise aimed at shielding himself from the rule of law."
In hindsight, despite the fact that Clinton should have been removed from office for his crimes, I consider it a blessing he was allowed to fill out his second term paving the way for a Republican to be elected the next president. Knowing what we know now about Al Gore and what awaited the nation and the world in 2001, a Gore presidency would have most likely meant devastating consequences for our country. Upon filling Clinton's vacated spot, he would have no doubt been elected to a second and possibly third term.
HILLARY
Hillary Clinton is the type of person who, after brutally murdering someone, could turn around, look you straight in the eye and confidently deny having any knowledge of it. There is no doubt that she is extremely intelligent and talented. She is also undeniably downright evil. Furthermore, there is no question that Hillary is a pathological liar and cheater.
"Hillary's extraordinary lapses of memory especially for a lawyer and self-described policy wonk were not credible."
In White House depositions during the Whitewater scandal era, Hillary claimed ignorance and selective amnesia using her notorious line, "I don't recall....." This happened 20 years before her 2016 presidential campaign. Remember how she displayed the same kind of behavior during the Benghazi scandal investigation AND during the email Scandal investigation? The media and her supporters including the Department of Justice attempted to attribute these so-called "lapses of memory" to old age. Yea.... what a bunch of bull.
MICHAEL MOORE TERRORIZES THE STARR FAMILY
At some point during the trial the notorious and fanatical provocateur, Michael Moore, appeared with his hired crew at the residence of Ken Starr to stalk and harass his family and his neighbors in order to garner personal publicity. During one of these stunts, Starr's own daughter was forced to climb fences and cross neighbor yards in order to arrive safely to school.
October 6, 2018
Self-serving autobiography by an Ahab wannabe. While not all that well-written, Starr writes his own version of a lengthy and costly investigation that ultimately lead to Pres. Bill Clinton’s impeachment.
However, what Starr makes clear is that Hillary Clinton was his real target. He hated her and makes no attempts to disguise his pre-conceived notions.
No spoilers here and not much about Brett Kavanaugh’s contribution to to investigation, but it does provide some insight into rant against the Clintons during his moment in front of the US Senate.
The country was not well-served by Starr or any of his cronies.
However, what Starr makes clear is that Hillary Clinton was his real target. He hated her and makes no attempts to disguise his pre-conceived notions.
No spoilers here and not much about Brett Kavanaugh’s contribution to to investigation, but it does provide some insight into rant against the Clintons during his moment in front of the US Senate.
The country was not well-served by Starr or any of his cronies.
March 7, 2019
Finally the truth! Excellent recounting of total contempt by the Clinton’s. How easily society forgets or is unaware of how “crooked” Hillary is!
And,Bill! Lions and tigers and bears,oh my!
And,Bill! Lions and tigers and bears,oh my!
April 4, 2019
Ugh. This memoir is basically Starr taking an opportunity to let us know what a good, dutiful, and honest person he is, though wrongly painted by the press to be a Republican attack dog, and how much he dislikes Hillary Clinton. His target is not Bill, who he says was likable and charismatic, but Hillary. Bill doesn't look so good as he is revealed to be the worst kind of womanizer, which is pretty well documented by now, but Starr's real target here is Hillary and his own career. As Starr reviews the investigation of the Clintons and their associates, he time and again reports that they didn't have enough to make a case against Hillary on anything related to Whitewater, but he dislikes her intensely because she was arrogant, less than honest, and unlikable. He condemns her but his evidence is really weak, much weaker than I would have expected considering his clear dislike. She is not friendly to him in depositions--does that surprise him after his team did their best to make Vince Foster's suicide look like a murder in which the Clinton's would be implicated, when his team were clearly digging around for anything they could find to go after the Clintons? He is particularly outraged that she replies that she 'can't remember' to many of his questions, which he equates with contempt and says he considered charging her with that, but didn't.
Starr is, interestingly, pretty soft on Bill Clinton, calling him, in contrast to her, likable and charismatic. I guess he is just giving the devil his due. It is interesting, though, that his outrage is less directed at Bill for his womanizing than Hillary for her unfriendly, brittle personality. Interesting, that is, in light of what has happened with Starr having to step down as President at Baylor after he grossly mishandled, ignored, sexual misconduct on the Football team that included multiple rapes that were reported to the administration, which apparently did nothing. Starr doesn't understand why Hillary is unfriendly; he doesn't understand why Monica years later thinks he is a creepy. One thing that is also clear here is that Starr was pretty good at climbing the ladder in Republican politics, actually gaining an appointment to a clerkship with Justice Burger and then a federal court appointment on the DC Circuit under Reagan, before accepting the role of Solicitor General in the elder Bush's administration. He says he cried when duty made him leave the judgeship to join the administration, but personally I think he had his eye on the Supreme Court. He laments that he did not get it when Bush passed him over for Souter and sees his role in Whitewater and Clinton's impeachment as ending his chances to sit on the court. This appears to be his big regret in life. It must have been hard to see Kavanaugh, and underling in the investigation of Vince Foster's suicide, take the seat he thought should be his.
Starr is, interestingly, pretty soft on Bill Clinton, calling him, in contrast to her, likable and charismatic. I guess he is just giving the devil his due. It is interesting, though, that his outrage is less directed at Bill for his womanizing than Hillary for her unfriendly, brittle personality. Interesting, that is, in light of what has happened with Starr having to step down as President at Baylor after he grossly mishandled, ignored, sexual misconduct on the Football team that included multiple rapes that were reported to the administration, which apparently did nothing. Starr doesn't understand why Hillary is unfriendly; he doesn't understand why Monica years later thinks he is a creepy. One thing that is also clear here is that Starr was pretty good at climbing the ladder in Republican politics, actually gaining an appointment to a clerkship with Justice Burger and then a federal court appointment on the DC Circuit under Reagan, before accepting the role of Solicitor General in the elder Bush's administration. He says he cried when duty made him leave the judgeship to join the administration, but personally I think he had his eye on the Supreme Court. He laments that he did not get it when Bush passed him over for Souter and sees his role in Whitewater and Clinton's impeachment as ending his chances to sit on the court. This appears to be his big regret in life. It must have been hard to see Kavanaugh, and underling in the investigation of Vince Foster's suicide, take the seat he thought should be his.
January 16, 2020
Readable, Candid, and Informative
I picked this book up on a whim and was surprised to find that it was a very readable and insightful account of Ken Starr’s time as Independent Counsel for the Whitewater matter. Often the memories of the famous are dull work, not very revealing and carefully-crafted for the purpose of self-promotion, and books by lawyers often feature prose produced by the torture of the profession. This book, however, provides the best overview I have ever read of both the Whitewater/Lewinsky investigations and let me learn a lot, even as a person who lived through all of that as a child and teenager.
I picked this book up on a whim and was surprised to find that it was a very readable and insightful account of Ken Starr’s time as Independent Counsel for the Whitewater matter. Often the memories of the famous are dull work, not very revealing and carefully-crafted for the purpose of self-promotion, and books by lawyers often feature prose produced by the torture of the profession. This book, however, provides the best overview I have ever read of both the Whitewater/Lewinsky investigations and let me learn a lot, even as a person who lived through all of that as a child and teenager.
February 3, 2019
This book is a narrative of the Independent Counsel's investigation into the Clinton's shenanigans. It's all here - Vince Foster's death, the Whitewater scam, Jim and Susan MacDougal, Monica Lewinsky, Paula Jones, Clinton's impeachment. Fairly well written. Easy to follow. I found it a good synopsis of those events.
August 30, 2019
I give Starr all those stars for his candid first-hand account. It’s really interesting to see this era through his eyes. He also dispels some conspiracy theories that I didn’t know had been so firmly dispelled.
He’s not a fan of the Clintons (spoiler not spoiler), and that’s kind of fun too.
This is not a salacious book, so if you’re looking for that, look elsewhere.
He’s not a fan of the Clintons (spoiler not spoiler), and that’s kind of fun too.
This is not a salacious book, so if you’re looking for that, look elsewhere.
April 30, 2021
By the end of this book I was exhausted. I would pose the question .. "How could politicians from either side of the aisle conceivably question Clinton's guilt of abuse of power?" At the risk of over simplifying the answer, I believe it is to be found in the word "politicians."
October 9, 2018
A methodical and somewhat autobiographical walk through of Starr's point of view of the 1990's and the Clinton investigation. I learned a lot about the ins and outs of a special investigation. I found it useful to compare to today's investigation of Trump via Mueller and Rosenstein.
April 28, 2023
Easy read. Confirms that Clinton's are corrupt. People who support Clintons will disagree. Oh well!
November 2, 2018
The book will not make sense unless you were around and thinking during the Clinton travesty. Hard to imagine now in the "MeTo" era but in the 90's the Democrats and major media advanced the view a government official could request an underling perform a sex act on them. This was covered under their view of "no harm no foul". President Clinton was the defendant in a civil law suit for this behavior during his time as the Governor of Arkansas. The lawyers for the accuser attempted to validate their accusations by showing Clinton had continued this behavior as President of the United States. Clinton chose to deny to the court he was having sex with his current underlings and had one submit an affidavit to the court denying sex had occurred. Of course he and she were lying.
So that sets the stage for this book by Ken Starr, the man with the responsibility to determine if President Clinton purjured himself and had others also commit perjury to prevent justice for the accuser in a civil lawsuit.
The Clintons practice the art of personal destruction to near perfection. Their army of sycophants are more than willing to help. Mr. Starr has been one of their targets. He uses the book to address the legal case and the personal attacks from his viewpoint. And he isn't happy.
A good read. Nothing new to those of us paying attention during those years but a healthy reminder of how in the bag for the Democrats the major media has always been.
So that sets the stage for this book by Ken Starr, the man with the responsibility to determine if President Clinton purjured himself and had others also commit perjury to prevent justice for the accuser in a civil lawsuit.
The Clintons practice the art of personal destruction to near perfection. Their army of sycophants are more than willing to help. Mr. Starr has been one of their targets. He uses the book to address the legal case and the personal attacks from his viewpoint. And he isn't happy.
A good read. Nothing new to those of us paying attention during those years but a healthy reminder of how in the bag for the Democrats the major media has always been.
September 24, 2018
Good to finally hear the story from the view of the Independent Counsel, after only hearing the parts that were filtered through the press. Eye-opening. Having lived through it, you think you know what went on, but there was much that was suppressed and just outright lied about. It's shameful that he and his family were treated so badly just because he agreed to do a job that no one wanted to do. Curious how in this pursuit he seems to have so much integrity and yet it seems to have left him entirely when he got to Baylor.
December 6, 2018
For those of us who lived through this sordid period, it was a review of what happened. Yes, it is Starr’s perspective, but he does keep it moving and doesn’t belabor every point. The best part was at the end. Starr writes that at the end of the impeachment process, Bill Clinton ‘s popularity was still very high. America seemed not to care. And what do we do with that?
November 23, 2018
Thoughtful and provocative
Love him or hate him, this book is a good review of all that Clinton was and is. I enjoyed this book and felt Mr. Starr did a very good job with a difficult subject.
Love him or hate him, this book is a good review of all that Clinton was and is. I enjoyed this book and felt Mr. Starr did a very good job with a difficult subject.
June 4, 2019
This book is helpful in refreshing memory of an important time in our government and history. The cast of characters is lengthy, at times Starr is a bit too self serving, but overall, it is an interesting and easy read.
January 6, 2019
Well-written, honest account of the facts right from the horses mouth. I love a book that puts forth facts with honestly and integrity.
March 10, 2019
Excellent!!
March 14, 2024
Let’s stipulate that Bill and Hillary Clinton are among the sleaziest couples in American federal politics. That’s enough of a given, even among Democrats, that it makes this a strange book. It brings little fresh light to its subject, other than as a personal defense by Ken Starr of Ken Starr.
From that angle, it’s not uninteresting. I think Starr was a good man with adamantine ethics quarried from the bedrock of his Church of Christ upbringing. One reason I say this is that he and his wife served in special needs ministry. If you’re angling for glory, that’s the wrong ministry.
And yet it’s clear from passing comments that Starr also had an ambitious streak, and he clearly prided himself on working hard for his success. This unusual blend of sky-high ambition and bone-deep morality left its mark in history through his handling of the Whitewater investigation.
Starr’s account reads as a classic collision of unstoppable force with immovable object. I think his morality left him personally offended by the depth of the Clintons’ contempt for law, order, and basic human decency; and his ambition drove him to believe he could force a redress of the balance.
His reopening of the Vince Foster suicide investigation helps illustrate this. I find Starr’s long and tortured rationale unconvincing: that his respected predecessor closed the case so quickly that unanswered questions fed conspiracy theories, and that Starr just wanted to bring thorough closure.
He should have known reopening the investigation would feed the conspiracy trolls, even though he eventually closed it with the exact same conclusion. I’m less inclined to accept his rationalization, and more inclined to believe he just wanted to find any legitimate charge that would stick on the Clintons.
But here’s the thing: I think Ken Starr believed Ken Starr. He strikes me as a man so utterly principled that he needed to talk himself into everything. I believe his justified loathing of the Clintons — and they richly deserved so much more than they got — led him to exercise his mandate in interesting ways.
Having read this self-defense, I suspect he subconsciously saw a path to justice by way of Eliot Ness. If you can’t get Capone on murder, get him on tax evasion. Likewise, though Starr never even hints in this direction, my guess is that behind his conscious reasoning was an unconscious ambition to bring the unjust to justice by any legitimate means: even jumping from a fraud investigation onto a blue dress.
This is a curious work, and valuable to the extent that you want to understand how Ken Starr saw his place in history. It’s a clear but plodding read, about what you’d expect from a career jurist, prosecutor, and administrator. But as a mercifully brief study in psychology, it’s good enough for government.
From that angle, it’s not uninteresting. I think Starr was a good man with adamantine ethics quarried from the bedrock of his Church of Christ upbringing. One reason I say this is that he and his wife served in special needs ministry. If you’re angling for glory, that’s the wrong ministry.
And yet it’s clear from passing comments that Starr also had an ambitious streak, and he clearly prided himself on working hard for his success. This unusual blend of sky-high ambition and bone-deep morality left its mark in history through his handling of the Whitewater investigation.
Starr’s account reads as a classic collision of unstoppable force with immovable object. I think his morality left him personally offended by the depth of the Clintons’ contempt for law, order, and basic human decency; and his ambition drove him to believe he could force a redress of the balance.
His reopening of the Vince Foster suicide investigation helps illustrate this. I find Starr’s long and tortured rationale unconvincing: that his respected predecessor closed the case so quickly that unanswered questions fed conspiracy theories, and that Starr just wanted to bring thorough closure.
He should have known reopening the investigation would feed the conspiracy trolls, even though he eventually closed it with the exact same conclusion. I’m less inclined to accept his rationalization, and more inclined to believe he just wanted to find any legitimate charge that would stick on the Clintons.
But here’s the thing: I think Ken Starr believed Ken Starr. He strikes me as a man so utterly principled that he needed to talk himself into everything. I believe his justified loathing of the Clintons — and they richly deserved so much more than they got — led him to exercise his mandate in interesting ways.
Having read this self-defense, I suspect he subconsciously saw a path to justice by way of Eliot Ness. If you can’t get Capone on murder, get him on tax evasion. Likewise, though Starr never even hints in this direction, my guess is that behind his conscious reasoning was an unconscious ambition to bring the unjust to justice by any legitimate means: even jumping from a fraud investigation onto a blue dress.
This is a curious work, and valuable to the extent that you want to understand how Ken Starr saw his place in history. It’s a clear but plodding read, about what you’d expect from a career jurist, prosecutor, and administrator. But as a mercifully brief study in psychology, it’s good enough for government.
November 26, 2018
Living through this period of American history, we were inundated with media focusing on salacious details of sexual misconduct, and never really understood what Whitewater was about. Most Americans thought the Impeachment proceedings against the President were about sexual misconduct. What did Monica have to do with what's really important???
Ken Starr's book is very readable, and makes clear the facts. Nothing ever came of the Whitewater investigations, so it was all about nothing? Not so. There were convictions of people close to the Clintons, mishandling of funds, loans made that were not used for their stated purpose, and ultimately a bank failed that the American people had to bail out to the tune of $65 million. And the Clintons were smack in the middle of it. The decision not to indict them came as a result of a material witness flatly refusing to testify (Clinton ultimately pardoned her) and the documents that would have shown involvement conveniently disappeared. Being unable to prove something is not the same thing as being innocent.
What I didn't understand about the whole Monica thing was that it was about obstruction of justice, witness tampering, and abuse of presidential authority, not sex. She was subpoenaed in the Paula Jones case, along with Linda Tripp (Vince Foster's executive assistant).
OK, not going to rewrite the whole book here. Ken Starr was not legally allowed to defend himself in the "court of public opinion" during the years he served at the Office of Independent Counsel. He and his family endured years of vilification and abuse, and had to do it without being able to reveal the facts.
This is his opportunity to set the record straight. I encourage you to read this. I especially commend him on waiting until AFTER the most recent presidential election. He could have made a lot more money making this a politically controversial book, but it shows his integrity that he waited.
Ken Starr's book is very readable, and makes clear the facts. Nothing ever came of the Whitewater investigations, so it was all about nothing? Not so. There were convictions of people close to the Clintons, mishandling of funds, loans made that were not used for their stated purpose, and ultimately a bank failed that the American people had to bail out to the tune of $65 million. And the Clintons were smack in the middle of it. The decision not to indict them came as a result of a material witness flatly refusing to testify (Clinton ultimately pardoned her) and the documents that would have shown involvement conveniently disappeared. Being unable to prove something is not the same thing as being innocent.
What I didn't understand about the whole Monica thing was that it was about obstruction of justice, witness tampering, and abuse of presidential authority, not sex. She was subpoenaed in the Paula Jones case, along with Linda Tripp (Vince Foster's executive assistant).
OK, not going to rewrite the whole book here. Ken Starr was not legally allowed to defend himself in the "court of public opinion" during the years he served at the Office of Independent Counsel. He and his family endured years of vilification and abuse, and had to do it without being able to reveal the facts.
This is his opportunity to set the record straight. I encourage you to read this. I especially commend him on waiting until AFTER the most recent presidential election. He could have made a lot more money making this a politically controversial book, but it shows his integrity that he waited.
April 5, 2020
With any book of this type, I seriously consider the credentials of the author. If they have an axe to grind, or if they are writing something with no identifiable basis in fact, I will not read their work.
Ken Starr was the special prosecutor in the Whitewater case, and I felt he was writing an honest account. Mr Starr, I learned, was a lawyer with excellent credentials, including clerking in the Supreme Court. He became a federal judge, he was very happy with that position, and he did not really the special prosecutor assignment. He accepted this largely out of a sense of duty.
After the special prosecutor job, Ken Starr became president of Baylor University, which he left under a cloud due to mishandling of sexual abuse incidents involving some football players. Mr Starr told of this early in this book, and this influenced my feeling that he was truthful.
The account from Ken Starr paints an extremely unfavorable picture of the Clintons. Missing records were the start of things, followed by what can only be seen as blatant distortions of the truth.
This review is being written in the middle of the coronavirus shut-in, I am among many who view Trump’s handling of the crisis as being entirely inadequate (I’m being polite here) and I am thinking that Hillary, if she were the president, surely would have had a far superior performance. That said, I have long been convinced that Hillary has some problems with honesty, and this book reinforced that viewpoint. Anyway, Ken Starr’s story was quite interesting and carefully written.
Ken Starr was the special prosecutor in the Whitewater case, and I felt he was writing an honest account. Mr Starr, I learned, was a lawyer with excellent credentials, including clerking in the Supreme Court. He became a federal judge, he was very happy with that position, and he did not really the special prosecutor assignment. He accepted this largely out of a sense of duty.
After the special prosecutor job, Ken Starr became president of Baylor University, which he left under a cloud due to mishandling of sexual abuse incidents involving some football players. Mr Starr told of this early in this book, and this influenced my feeling that he was truthful.
The account from Ken Starr paints an extremely unfavorable picture of the Clintons. Missing records were the start of things, followed by what can only be seen as blatant distortions of the truth.
This review is being written in the middle of the coronavirus shut-in, I am among many who view Trump’s handling of the crisis as being entirely inadequate (I’m being polite here) and I am thinking that Hillary, if she were the president, surely would have had a far superior performance. That said, I have long been convinced that Hillary has some problems with honesty, and this book reinforced that viewpoint. Anyway, Ken Starr’s story was quite interesting and carefully written.
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