Ken Starr, investigator behind Clinton impeachment, dies at 76

Ken Starr, a former U.S. solicitor basic who headed the Whitewater investigation into former President Clinton that in the end led to his impeachment, died on Tuesday at the age of 76, his household introduced.

Starr’s household said in a statement that he died at a hospital in Houston following problems from surgical procedure. Starr’s spouse stated he had been within the hospital for the final 17 weeks preventing an undisclosed sickness, The New York Times reported.

Starr has been a distinguished determine in nationwide politics and the authorized area stretching again a long time, serving as chief of workers to former Attorney General William Smith for roughly two years starting in 1981 after a clerkship at the Supreme Court.

Former President Reagan nominated Starr in 1983 as a federal appeals choose for the D.C. Circuit, the place he served till changing into the U.S. solicitor basic within the first Bush administration.

Starr argued 36 circumstances earlier than the Supreme Court, together with 25 throughout his time as solicitor basic, his household stated.

He is greatest recognized for main the Whitewater investigation throughout the Clinton presidency. The investigation started with a probe of the Clintons’ actual property investments however finally expanded to incorporate the previous president’s affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky. 

The Starr Report, which he gave to Congress in September 1998, asserted that Clinton lied to the general public and Congress in regards to the relationship. Clinton was later impeached, although was in the end acquitted within the Senate.

“We are deeply saddened with the loss of our dear and loving father and grandfather, whom we admired for his prodigious work ethic, but who always put his family first,” Starr’s son, Randall Starr, stated within the household’s assertion. 

“The love, energy, endearing sense of humor and fun-loving interest dad exhibited to each of us was truly special, and we cherish the many wonderful memories we were able to experience with him. He is now with his Lord and Savior,” he stated.

Starr later served because the dean of Pepperdine University’s regulation faculty between 2004 and 2010 earlier than changing into president of Baylor University, the place he additionally served as chancellor starting half approach via his presidency.

After an exterior investigation discovered the varsity mishandled allegations of sexual assault involving its soccer crew gamers, the varsity eliminated Starr as its president in May 2016. He quickly after resigned as chancellor and chair of the varsity’s constitutional regulation division.

“Judge Starr was a dedicated public servant and ardent supporter of religious freedom that allows faith-based institutions such as Baylor to flourish,” Baylor University President Linda Livingstone said in a statement Tuesday.

Starr later discovered a welcoming dwelling on Fox News as a contributor, making common appearances on the cable big. 

In 2020, he joined former President Trump’s protection crew throughout his first impeachment trial.

The House impeached Trump on prices of abuse of energy and obstruction of Congress in connection to accusations he withheld U.S. navy support to Ukraine to strain President Volodymyr Zelensky into investigating Joe Biden and his son, Hunter Biden. The Senate later acquitted Trump on each prices.

Starr is survived by his spouse Alice Starr, his three kids and 9 grandchildren, his household stated.

(*76*)This story was up to date at 6:26 p.m.