Ken Starr, who was most well known for being the special counsel in the Whitewater investigation that led to Bill Clinton’s impeachment but had a host of other accomplishments, reportedly died from complications after a surgery and lengthy illness, according to his family.
Starr was 76 when he died at Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center in Houston.
“We are deeply saddened by 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. 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,” his son Randall said.
A distinguished career
Starr began his investigation into Clinton in 1994, but it was several years until the investigation bore fruit when the affair with then-intern Monica Lewinsky was discovered. Clinton lied about it under oath and was impeached in 1998 as a result.
The Clinton investigation was only the tip of the iceberg of Starr’s accomplishments, however.
Starr argued 36 cases before the Supreme Court. He was Solicitor General under George H.W. Bush, and more recently, he was part of former President Donald Trump’s first impeachment defense, which was successful.
He was also the president of Baylor University in Texas from 2010 to 2016, and had a part in Jeffrey Epstein’s defense against sexual abuse charges in 2013.
Turley gives praise
Liberal-leaning legal scholar Jonathan Turley praised Starr after his death, calling him a person of integrity.
“We lost Ken Starr today, whose brilliant career left an indelible legacy as an advocate, a judge, an independent counsel, and an academic. He was a deeply principled and gracious person…,” Jonathan Turley said on Twitter.
“I argued the secret service privilege case with Ken during the Clinton scandal and continued to correspond with him through the years. He was someone who loved the law and never stooped to the level of his critics as he carried out his professional duties,” he continued.
“Ken truly believed that ‘Truth is a bedrock concept in morality and law.’ That remained the North Star of his career and there are few careers that can match his impact on our legal system,” he said.