independent counsel
From: The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition
|
Date: 2008
independent counsel in U.S. law, a judicially appointed investigator of charges of misdeeds by high government officials. Originally termed "special prosecutor," the position was first created by the 1978 Ethics in Government Act. Prompted by the Watergate affair , the purpose of the law was to avoid the conflict of interest that might develop if the executive branch (i.e., the Justice Dept.) investigated its own officials. The act expired in 1992, but a new independent counsel law was passed in 1994. The new law also permitted the investigation of members of Congress. The request for an appointment of an independent counsel was made by the attorney general; the counsel was appointed by an independent judicial board. An independent counsel was used to investigate the Iran-contra affair , Whitewater , and the Lewinsky scandal . In 1999, following prosecutor Kenneth Starr 's confrontations with President Bill Clinton and the impeachment of the president, the law again expired and was not renewed. The attorney general now has sole responsibility for appointing outside prosecutors.
Author not available, INDEPENDENT COUNSEL.,
The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition 2008
The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. Copyright 2008 Columbia University Press
For permission to reuse this article, contact Copyright Clearance Center.
Related articles from HighBeam Research:
|
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE GEORGE GEKAS (R-PA) CHAIRMAN U.S. REPRESENTATIVE GEORGE GEKAS (R-PA) HOLDS HEARING ON THE INDEPENDENT COUNSEL STATUTE
Washington Transcript Service; 6/11/1999; 10612 words;
... under the Independent Counsel Act. Our report contains ... and budget for special counsels to help assure that their ... after appointing a special counsel or annually after that ... applicable to the removal of counsel during an investigation ... appointment of the special counsel -- ...
|
|
Independent Counsels Stretching Pay Limits; Staff Prosecutor Salaries Among the Highest
The Washington Post; 6/6/1996; Toni Locy; 1693 words;
... one of the rising costs of independent counsel investigations two years ... government officials. But the four independent counsels investigating President Clinton ... full-time prosecutors for independent counsels are being paid more than ...
|
|
|
Freeh Could Be Factor in Reno Decision on Clinton, Gore Independent Counsels
The Washington Post; 11/24/1997; Roberto Suro; 872 words;
... next week whether to seek independent counsel investigations of fund-raising ... today, that she declare no independent counsels are necessary for Clinton ... argued in the past that an independent counsel should take over the campaign ...
|
|
Lawyers, academics question whether independent counsel's job has strayed.(Originated from Knight Ridder Newspapers)
Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service; 8/13/1998; Arnett, Elsa C.; 763 words;
WASHINGTON _ The job of independent counsel was created 20 years ago ... intern. But as the number of independent counsels multiplies and their costs ... Republicans to appoint another independent counsel to investigate allegations ...
|
|
|
Espy Case Heightens Criticism Of Independent Counsel Law; Statute Could Be Weakened or Rejected in '99 Renewal Debate
The Washington Post; 12/4/1998; John Mintz; Bill Miller; 957 words;
... members of Congress about the independent counsel law, which they predict could ... charges brought against him by independent counsel Donald C. Smaltz came against ... bitter controversy concerning independent counsel Kenneth W. Starr. His Whitewater-and-per ...
|
|
|
A LOOK AT...The of Independent Counsel; The Problem Isn't in the Starrs But in a Misguided Law
The Washington Post; 2/22/1998; Gerard E. Lynch; 1281 words;
The independent counsel seemed like a good idea at the ... should be president. To see why independent counsel investigations work so badly ... appointed federal prosecutors). Independent counsels are not accountable to anyone ...
|
|
Impeachment and the Independent Counsel: a dysfunctional union.
Stanford Law Review; 1/1/1999; Gormley, Kenneth; 25649 words;
... Criminal Process?, FED. NEWS SERVICE, Sept. 9 ... SAMUEL DASH, CHIEF COUNSEL: INSIDE THE ERVIN ... Iran-Contra affair, the independent counsel statute technically ... provisions of the independent counsel statute sweep within ... section 591(c) of the independent counsel ...
|
|
|
The independent counsel act's time has finally expired.
Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service; 3/2/1999; Stroud, Joe; 796 words;
... deserve to be hounded by an independent counsel, you have to figure you've pretty much given up on the independent counsel law. That's where I find ... will pull the plug on the independent counsel statute. Starr, as far as ...
|
|
|
Navigating law and politics: the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court and the independent counsel. (Symposium on Treaties, Enforcement, and U.S. Sovereignty)
Stanford Law Review; 5/1/2003; Danner, Allison Marston; 17219 words;
... dominated the American news: The developments in ... Congress elected to let the independent counsel scheme expire in 1999 ... 1999, at 4A. (18.) The Independent Counsel Act began its life in ... providing a history of the Independent Counsel Act). From 1978 though ... amp; Kandace ...
|
|
Replacing independent counsels with congressional investigations.
University of Pennsylvania Law Review; 5/1/2000; Rappaport, Michael B.; 17166 words;
... arguing that the Independent Counsel statute is worth saving ... Case for a Permanent Independent Counsel, WALL ST. J., Mar ... creating a permanent, independent office ... insulated ... See KATY J. HARRIGER, INDEPENDENT JUSTICE: THE FEDERAL ... use of ad hoc special counsels). (29) ...
|
|
Independent counsel law in trouble.(Nation)
The Washington Times; 3/1/1999; Price, Joyce Howard; 454 words;
... the aisle say that the 1978 Independent Counsel Statute will not survive ... could do the job done by the independent counsel. Sen. Fred Thompson, Tennessee ... government officials before the Independent Counsel Statute was enacted. Under ...
|
&type=1 "Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN)")
|
Reno's fight; Go slow with independent counsels.(NEWS)
Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN); 12/9/1998; 535 words;
... decided not to appoint an independent counsel to examine President Clinton ... the mess created by recent independent counsels. Fund-raising abuses during ... rationale in rejecting an independent counsel was narrow. Clinton's lawyers ...
|
&type=1 "Seattle Post-Intelligencer (Seattle, WA)")
|
INDEPENDENT COUNSEL HAS TOO MUCH INDEPENDENCE.(Editorial)
Seattle Post-Intelligencer (Seattle, WA); 2/26/1999; 774 words;
... debate over renewing the independent counsel law has largely avoided a ... would advocate it. If the Independent Counsel Act had been named the Unaccountable ... asking whether an ``improved'' independent counsel system is even a worthy goal ...
|
|
INDEPENDENT COUNSEL ACT:KEN GORMLEY
Congressional Testimony; 3/24/1999; 9858 words;
... prosecutors. Burying the independent counsel law will only return ... Do we really need an independent counsel law, in the year 1999 ... There have been twenty independent counsels in the same number ... grown to rely upon independent counsels, despite the skepticism ... system ...
|
|
|
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INDEPENDENT COUNSEL ACT:DONALD C. SMALTZ
Congressional Testimony; 12/10/1997; 4993 words;
... investigators in the independent counsel offices are on detail ... of personnel in the independent counsel offices brings disrepute ... repeated clashes with independent prosecutors, Ms. Reno ... many aspects of the independent counsel law, say Justice Department ... Reno's disputes ...
|
See all results from premium newspaper and magazine articles, images, maps and more at HighBeam Research.
Related articles from newspapers, magazines and other sources:
|
|