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Truth, Justice and The American Way
Or,
A Despicable Modern Day Inquisitor

An Editorial Opinion By Ralph F. Mariano

One would never think that a Special Prosecutor could become "Obsessed" with an assignment. After all, they’re supposed to be the epitome of Judicial Professionalism. Or, are they? Take the matter of looking over the activities and maze of events surrounding Kenneth Starr. Starr, admittedly a loyal Republican, has doggedly used every facet of his Special Prosecutor office in attempting to hang the current Democratic Administration and President William Jefferson Clinton out to dry. With Clinton left slowly twisting in the wind of political hot air somewhere in the wastelands of politics gone by. One thing we must pay attention to is the time spent by Starr in his aggressive and highly ambitious pursuit of Clinton and his wife, Hillary.

From Whitewater till present, all Starr has seemingly come up are " alleged sex partners" "fall guys", "patsies", backstabbers playing "let’s make a deal" and… best of all; sore losers in the brownie parade at the White House.

Why is it we never saw major headlines about Dwight David Eisenhower’s extra-marital affair with his wartime secretary? Why is it he wasn’t hammered into the ground by the Press Corps. At that time or, during his Presidency? Better yet, why wasn’t his affair used against him when he ran for President? Anybody have the right answer??

How about;

• The "reporter" reporting on a politician’s private life would suddenly lose access to most events involving that politician, his friends and fellow party members

• Such acts on the part of the press were simply not done as a matter of the utmost respect

• Politician’s private lives were kept private as a matter of course

• Any reporter probing into a public figure’s private life was destined to quickly become unemployed

Then came JFK’s Presidency. I was a young man at the time. In fact I met JFK, RFK and Teddy at a very small Airport outside of Liberty NY shortly before JFK’s victory over Richard M. Nixon. While I was young and impressionable… I’ll never forget the TV coverage of Vietnam and especially the Cuban Missile Crisis. Along with the JFK Assassination coverage, the subsequent Warren Commission findings and the years of innuendo and obvious problems with the Warren Commission’s findings would leave many questions unanswered.

Those findings left many in this country with numerous questions that to this day remain unanswered. One in particular, why haven’t the "ever so active, upstanding and righteous," press (hard copy and soft), Matt Drudge, and others pursued the truth in JFK’s murder? Of course, we can all look to Watergate and Richard M. Nixon ("I am not a Crook") and say here is case where the press’ diligent investigation actually did uncover wrongdoing. Special Note: A special prosecutor (like Starr) was not appointed until such time as wrong doing (the smoking gun) was clearly evident.

In the matter of Starr vs. Clinton… Starr was appointed to FIND wrong doing on the part of a newly elected Democratic President by a majority Republican House and Senate. Folks, it doesn’t take a Rocket Scientist to realize that millions upon millions of dollars have been spent (read wasted) by Starr in his pursuit of Bill Clinton. Starr had all but given up a year or so ago… only to be re-instigated by his Republican Cronies to continue by becoming involved in the Paula Jones sex case. (an incident which by the way, occurred well before Clinton was elected President) once again though, the "special prosecutor" was sent on fact finding missions before any wrong doing is actually proven to have occurred. (Can you say a Zealot’s Inquisition?)

Now comes a new, especially odorous, element in the ointment. Once again, the Press is gleefully jumping all over this one. A White House aid… whose actual desires and goals are highly questionable, jumps up via a "backstabber" in the Whitehouse ( a Ken Starr "Mole") who was admittedly "on her way out" who secretly recorded Monica Lewinsky’s ramblings about sex in the Whitehouse! Incredibly, the recording was done at the urging of Kenneth Starr. In all my years… I’ve NEVER once heard of any law or group of laws that allowed for the "breaking of laws to enforce the law". That my friends, would make Law Enforcement Officials… "law-less" IE, OutLaws. Why hasn’t the press instead, looked over Starr who, while wrapped in his rabid, horse-blindered Republican loyalty is apparently using "sex, dirt and money" in every way imaginable to get Clinton?

Recently this week…. We all were witness to the State of the Union Address. President Clinton had many wonderful things to present to the Nation. Most folks appreciated what he had to say and indeed most in attendance rose and applauded the President at every appropriate time. That is, except the dissident Republican Representatives. The very same "Gingrichites" who have, ever since Clinton’s first Victory, done everything in their power and some… outside of their legal power to thwart every move, bill, decision, proposition and effort on the part of the President to do some good for this country. Thankfully, Newt & Co. have not been totally successful. The President’s budget is working,

• the Nation’s budget is balanced

• Inflation is in check

• unemployment is at an all time low

• people are making money

• profiteering is not lopsided with the major portions of profit going to only those at the top.

No thanks to the Republicans in both the House and Senate for the above list. You can bet if the Republicans were in full control… "none of the above" would apply.

Those Republican clowns (sorry to insult all the Emmett Kelly’s out there) who demonstratively refused to applaud the President during the State of the Union Address should be ashamed of themselves! How very UN-Patriotic. Better yet… perhaps each and everyone of them are in desperate need of having their private lives thoroughly examined by the Press. Not one day but every day for as long as they are in office.

Why is it Newt got "Off the Hook" so easily?? Why was it his "BUDDY" Bob Dole was so eager to and permitted to loan Newt the three hundred some odd thousand dollars needed to pay his fine for unethical profit taking behavior? Now Dole is a lobbyist for a foreign nation?? Bet you cannot guess which nation?? Doing so while he holds a note loan on the head of The Speaker of the House (a possible Presidential Successor)??? What’s WRONG with this picture. Respectfully, I ask… where is the investigative press now? Where is Matt Drudge and the rest of those who’d rather report on picayune matters involving people’s private lives? Professional Journalism took a solid shot to the jaw on these matters.

Easy…. The Republicans hold the majority in the House and Senate so who’s going to holler "investigate" and get such an action pushed through both the House and the Senate??

The POLLS have PROVEN beyond question… The nation, as a whole, is obviously NOT interested in Clinton’s private life. Who cares about who he is tapping and who is not on his personal, "most favored female" list if anyone beside his wife is….. WHO CARES!! Ken Starr’s reign as special prosecutor has run its due course. Starr’s Office and activities have, because of their being used as a Republican cudgel become a National Disgrace that gravely offends every responsible Citizen of this great Nation and at the same time, violates the true spirit and principle of the Constitution of the United States of America.

So let’s get on to other, far more important, matters. President Clinton has Saddam Hussein to deal with. Along with the French Government's indecisiveness (very busy waffling on a vigorous stand with Iraq …they never once worried when it came to our GI’s blood being spilled to free the French of Nazi terror) about Iraq because of possible losses in trade. Russia too, a long time ally of Iraq, is not wanting Saddam forcefully put in his place once and for all. Hasn’t anyone realized that if any serious hostilities erupt in the Middle East the very first victims with be the citizens of Kuwait and then without a doubt.. those of Israel?

Meanwhile, have any of the citizens and taxpayers of this country seen the sour pussed dissident Republicans directly supporting the President in his confrontations with Iraq’s Saddam Hussein? After all, didn’t Clinton (a Democrat) inherit this miserable headache and political mess from President George ("no new taxes") Bush (a Republican)? In all reality, the Republicans did not finish the job when they should have. I’m surprised the Press hasn’t tried to blame Clinton in some convoluted way for this mess too.