(5 of 5)
Monica told the complete truth about everything as she knows it. The whole story may not be the way Starr wants it. It may not be the way Clinton wants it. But it's credible. It's Generation X speaking. I guess it's not what they want. Monica is unbending. She has seen the reports that Starr is supposedly trying to squeeze her. She is not willing to change her story to meet the needs of the prosecutor. She told them the truth, and now she's angry. Last Friday FBI agents visited Monica's brother at his fraternity house at Carnegie Mellon University and frightened him by showing their badges and armament before questioning him.
The criticism of us as lawyers has been opportunistic and unrealistic. Nate is a respected criminal-law specialist, a former U.S. Attorney with a superb track record in prosecution and defense of criminal matters. He is conducting day-to-day negotiations with me and the independent counsel. Everybody asks me if I'm in over my head. Some people have asked why high-profile Washington lawyers weren't hired. But we needed just one good lawyer. And Nate was that man. We're both trial lawyers and ready for the task at hand.
The gauntlet has been thrown by Starr and the President, two icons of our democratic government. Monica is just a pawn in their game. Kenneth Starr has spent $40 million in taxpayer funds for his investigation. The President is complaining about running out of money for legal fees and says he needs a $3 million fund. But Monica Lewinsky and her parents face the total resources of the U.S. Government--never fewer than five attorneys, and four or five FBI agents working against her. The American public should know what it's like to be caught between two agencies of government at war. I wonder how many people could withstand government and press scrutiny for every foible, sin, contradiction or problem in their life.
And what about the gender aspect of it? We haven't come as far as we should on the role of women in America. Monica is a woman in the path of a male agenda. The question I continually have to ask myself is Why is she the target rather than a key witness? What great purpose is served if she is indicted and jailed? What great national catharsis will we feel? And at what price?