The Utter Absence of Shame

On the last day of July, Ken Starr -- the infamous special prosecutor who began with Whitewater and ended with impeachment hearings against President Bill Clinton for lying about trysts with an intern -- was on CNN voicing warnings about … wait for it … out-of-control special prosecutors. “We don’t want investigators and prosecutors,” he solemnly intoned, “out on a fishing expedition.” Of course Starr was referring to the ongoing Mueller investigation, and of course the statement is preposterous on its face. Starr’s investigation lasted four years and netted two wildly peripheral convictions. Mueller’s investigation, by comparison, has gone on for less than two years and has already seen five close Trump associates plead or be found guilty. Beyond the details is the simple fact that no one on this good Earth has less standing to prattle about “fishing expeditions” than Ken Starr. Starr’s comments are nicely in line with those proffered by Brett Kavanaugh, Donald Trump’s nominee for the Supreme Court. Kavanaugh made his reputation working closely with Starr during the Whitewater debacle and wrote the final report himself. When George W. Bush took office and brought Kavanaugh on board, the would-be Justice suddenly decided special prosecutors are a bad idea after all. One can assume he feels that way today, now that another Republican is in the White House. I have said it before and will say it again: The single greatest strength of the modern conservative movement is its utter and complete lack of shame. Its adherents will say anything, no matter how contradictory or concocted, if they think it will move the political ball down the field a few more yards. The Starr/Kavanaugh comments are merely an accent in this symphony of hypocrisy. Trying to embarrass them out of the practice has proven to be futile. The best we at Truthout can do is expose their deliberate nonsense and let people decide for themselves where they stand. Can you help us in this endeavor? [Donate Now]( [Click here to make a donation]( (Truthout is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. EIN: 20-0031641) Sincerely, William Rivers Pitt, Senior Editor and Lead Columnist Strengthen Truthout and help us plan for the future: [Become a monthly sustainer]( and we'll add a full year of your donation amount to our campaign. You'll only be charged once a month and can cancel anytime! --------------------------------------------------------------- [Subscribe]( | [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy](