Ken Starr
Independent counsel whose report led to Clinton's impeachment.
Kenneth Winston Starr (July 21, 1946 – September 13, 2022) was an American lawyer and judge best known for his role as independent counsel in the investigation that led to the impeachment of President Bill Clinton. Born near Vernon, Texas, and raised in Centerville, his father was a minister and barber. Starr was a straight‑A student at Sam Houston High School in San Antonio, voted most likely to succeed. He attended Harding University, a school affiliated with the Churches of Christ, where he was an honor student and a member of the Young Democrats who supported Vietnam protesters. He later earned a Bachelor of Arts in history from George Washington University, a Master of Arts from Brown University, and a Juris Doctor from Duke University School of Law, where he served as an editor of the Duke Law Journal. He married Alice Mendell in 1970; they had three children.
After law school, Starr clerked for Judge David W. Dyer on the Fifth Circuit and then for Chief Justice Warren E. Burger of the U.S. Supreme Court. He joined the law firm Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher in 1977 and became counselor to Attorney General William French Smith in 1981. He was a member of the Federalist Society. In 1983, President Ronald Reagan nominated him to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, where he served until 1989. He then served as U.S. solicitor general under President George H. W. Bush from 1989 to 1993. In 1990, he was a leading candidate for a Supreme Court vacancy but was passed over for David Souter.
In 1994, Starr was appointed independent counsel to investigate the suicide of deputy White House counsel Vince Foster and the Whitewater real estate investments. The inquiry expanded to include allegations of perjury regarding Clinton’s affair with Monica Lewinsky. After over four years, Starr issued the Starr Report, alleging Clinton lied under oath, which prompted Clinton’s impeachment and a five‑year suspension of his Arkansas law license. Starr later served as dean of Pepperdine University School of Law, then as president and chancellor of Baylor University from 2010 until 2016. He resigned both positions after an investigation found he mishandled sexual assault reports at the school, ultimately severing all ties with Baylor. In 2020, he joined President Donald Trump’s legal team during Trump’s first impeachment trial.
- field
- Law, independent counsel, judge, solicitor general, university administrator
- nationality
- American
- known_for
- Starr Report leading to impeachment of Bill Clinton; Whitewater investigation
Lore & Background
Starr was born near Vernon, Texas, and raised in Centerville, Texas, the son of a minister and barber. He was not drafted for military service due to psoriasis, classified 4-F. After law school, Starr clerked for Judge David W. Dyer of the U.S. Burger of the U.S. He was a member of the Federalist Society. Court of Appeals for the D.C. He then served as U.S. Fiske. Starr took the position part-time while remaining with his law firm, Kirkland & Ellis, which drew criticism for alleged conflicts of interest. His investigation expanded to include the death of Vince Foster, the Paula Jones lawsuit, and possible perjury about Clinton's sexual affair with Monica Lewinsky. After more than four years, Starr filed the Starr Report, alleging Clinton lied under oath, leading to Clinton's impeachment and a five-year suspension of Clinton's Arkansas law license.
Reader's Guide
Kenneth Starr's significance lies primarily in his role as independent counsel during the Clinton administration, where his investigation and the resulting Starr Report directly led to the impeachment of a sitting U.S. president. The investigation, initially focused on the Whitewater real estate investments and the suicide of Vince Foster, expanded to encompass Clinton's sexual relationship with Monica Lewinsky, raising enduring questions about the scope and partisanship of independent counsel powers. Starr's appointment itself was controversial, as he replaced a moderate Republican investigator, and his continued work with a private law firm created perceived conflicts of interest. Starr's legacy is deeply polarized. Supporters view him as a diligent prosecutor who upheld the rule of law, while critics argue his investigation was politically motivated and overreaching. His later career included serving as dean of Pepperdine University School of Law and as president and chancellor of Baylor University, a tenure that ended amid controversy over his handling of sexual assault allegations at the school. He later joined President Donald Trump's legal team during Trump's first impeachment trial, a role that further highlighted the partisan divisions surrounding his career. The Starr Report remains a landmark document in American political and legal history, symbolizing the intersection of law, politics, and scandal.
Did You Know?
- Starr was classified 4-F during the Vietnam War due to psoriasis and was not drafted.
- Starr's report on the death of Vince Foster, drafted largely by deputy Brett Kavanaugh, concluded Foster committed suicide due to depression.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Ken Starr considered significant in American legal and political history?
His independent counsel work produced the report that triggered the first impeachment of a sitting U.S. president in the modern era, making his name a defining reference point in late-1990s politics. The episode also sparked lasting debate over the scope and accountability of the independent counsel office.
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