WHITEWATER ALL OVER AGAIN?

After some Republicans complained about special counsel Robert Fiske's ties to the Clinton Administration, a three-judge panel replaced Fiske with Kenneth Starr, another well-regarded Republican lawyer. Fiske was appointed by Attorney General Janet Reno, a Clinton appointee. Today's development could mean that the entire Whitewater investigation into possible improprieties by the Clinton Administration will have to start from square one. Meanwhile, Congressional hearings wound down with Republicans continuing to call for the resignation of Deputy Treasury Secretary Roger Altman. Today's highlight was a sharp exchange in which White House counsel Lloyd Cutler lashed out at Republican members of the Senate Banking Committee for their partisanship. "You come from a party which while it held the White House was responsible for Watergate and Iran-contra," he said.WHAT NEXT? Expect Altman to resign, says TIME Washington correspondent Suneel Ratan. Others who can be counted "among the walking dead" include Jean Hanson, the Treasury counsel, and hapless diarist Josh Steiner, Treasury Department chief of staff. Also watch for the President's popularity to dip even further. "It seemed as if a lot of officials inside the White House were evasive," says Ratan. "It adds to the reservoir of doubt that a lot of people have about this Administration."