All The President's Lawyers

President Clinton has a new lawyer, hired to represent him in what may become a monumental legal fight with special prosecutor Kenneth Starr over a possible claim of executive privilege in the Monica Lewinsky matter.

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The White House has retained Washington attorney Neil Eggleston, who previously had served in the counsel's office. Eggleston represented the White House in an executive-privilege dispute with the independent counsel who is prosecuting former Agriculture Secretary Mike Espy.

Meanwhile, some of Starr's actions in this investigation are being questioned by the head of the nation's largest lawyers' organization.

"Our ethical codes call for careful observance of the attorney-client privilege. There is reason to believe that that privilege is being whittled away," American Bar Association President Jerome Shestack said Thursday during a symposium at Georgetown Law School. He did not mention Starr by name but it was clear from his examples that he was referring to the Whitewater prosecutor.

Speaking to reporters Friday, Starr ignored questions about Shestack's remarks.

But Monica Lewinsky's attorney did not.

Willam Ginsburg continued his attacks on Starr's methods. He told reporters he was familiar with grand jury proceedings and "this one takes the cake."

Both he and Lewinsky's father said Starr's investigation was "out of control"

Bernard Lewinsky broke his silence on the allegations involving his daughter, saying in a television interview that he "can't imagine" she would have fabricated her relationship with the president. He accused Starr of "terrorizing his family" and exhorted him to "lay off!" The interview was scheduled to be shown tonight on ABC`s 20/20 program.

Eggleston, Mr. Clinton's new lawyer, was part of an army of 10 lawyers the White House sent to the federal courthouse Thursday to discuss executive privilege with the chief U.S. district judge.

Also Thursday, Presidential confidant Bruce Lindsey testified for a second day before Starr's grand jury, while the White House lawyers pressed to limit his questioning and avoid a Watergate-style battle. The grand jury did not meet Friday.

Lindsey, a close friend and adviser to Mr. Clinton for 30 years, left the courthouse at mid-afternoon Thursday, refusing to say whether he had finished testifying. "In my judgment it has been cordial. That might not be the judgment of the other side," he told reporters.

Courts have upheld the concept of executive privilege to protect the privacy of documents and a president's convrsations with aides, saying the chief executive must rely on candid advice.

But judges also have ruled, most notably in the case of Richard Nixon, that presidents may not hide behind executive privilege when the officials seeking the information can demonstrate a compelling case for the information.

Past cases have involved discussions and documents involving official acts or public policy. In this instance, Starr's investigation centers on a question of private conduct: Lewinsky's allegation that she had a sexual affair with the president and he asked her to lie about it under oath.

The Supreme Court, in recognizing the privilege, generally has limited the shield to private discussions on internal policy matters and the conduct of foreign affairs.

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