Letter of Rep. Barr to Ken Starr Regarding Transmittal of Information Indicating Grounds for Impeachment of May 8, 1997 – May 1997

Bob Barr
7th District
Georgia

Congress of the United States

May 8, 1997

The Honorable Kenneth Starr
655 15th Street N.W.
Suite 1200
Washington, D.C. 20005

IN RE: 28 U.S.C. 595 (c) Information Relating to Impeachment

Dear Mr. Starr:

As you may know, I have written the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, of which I am a member, asking that he call a full committee meeting for the purpose of discussing the initiation of an impeachment inquiry of President Clinton and Vice President Gore. This request is based on numerous reported instances of abuse of office, some of which are the subject of investigation by your office.

In response to my requests, Chairman Hyde has indicated that while the Committee staff has been asked to examine previous impeachment proceedings so as to be prepared for action on this matter, it is premature in his view to proceed further without evidence of a “smoking gun” with respect to one or more of the many instances of abuse that are now the subject of several Congressional investigations.

In light of the recent declaration by your office that your Whitewater-related investigations have uncovered an “obstruction of the administration of justice,” I would like to take this opportunity to respectfully call your attention to Subsection (c) of Section 595 of Title 28 of the United States Code. This subsection specifies that “[a]n independent counsel shall advise the House of Representatives of any substantial and credible information which such independent counsel receives, in carrying out the independent counsel’s responsibilities under this chapter, that may constitute grounds for impeachment.” Because of the unique role of the House Judiciary Committe in the impeachment process explicated in the Constitution, I trust that you will fulfill your statutory obligation by promptly conveying any such information covered by Subsection (c) to the Committee.

I appreciate your attention to this matter.

With kind regards, I am,

very truly yours,

BOB BARR
Member of Congress

cc: The Honorable Henry Hyde

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