Is This Lindsey's Escape?

WASHINGTON: The President will testify. Monica Lewinsky will testify. But top aide Bruce Lindsey is still fighting all the way to the stand. The White House let it be known Monday that it will appeal Lindsey's claim of attorney-client privilege directly to the Supreme Court, likely pushing any testimony by Lindsey back until the court returns in October -- if William Rehnquist goes along.

As Justice-on-call for the D.C. area during the high court's vacation, Rehnquist faces the same choice he did three weeks ago on the Secret Service matter: whether his colleagues think the issue is worth their while -- and whether it's worth impeding Starr's investigation until they can rule on it. After rejecting Starr on Vince Foster, the Court seems likely to at least take the appeal seriously. That would mean Starr, if he wants to move quickly and send his report to Congress in September, might just have to leave Bruce Lindsey behind.