Ken Starr, the former president of Baylor University, accidentally appeared to confess in a Wednesday on-camera interview that he had seen a former student’s email regarding her rape. Before Starr could finish, he was interrupted by an assistant who asked the local TV station not to include that portion of the interview in their segment.
Starr announced last Wednesday that he was resigning as chancellor of Baylor. This was after being ousted from his position as President due to the failure of university administration to address mounting sexual assault allegations against members of the football team.
During Bill Clinton‘s presidency, Starr was appointed U.S. Counsel to investigate the suicide of Deputy White House Counsel Vince Foster, along with the real estate dealing of the President. The inquiry later expanded into the affair between White House intern Monica Lewinsky and Bill Clinton, ultimately leading to Clinton’s impeachment.
In his interview, Starr said he stepped down from the Baylor post as a maneuver which he hopes will promote transparency in light of recent events.
“That’s why I resigned, as a matter of conscience, so I can call on the board of regents, who are good people and love Baylor, but they have continued to follow a policy that I had to follow as an official. But I urge them toward transparency, transparency.”
But when an email from a rape victim sent to Starr was brought to his attention by KWTX‘s Julie Hays, the interview took an awkward turn.
“I honestly may have [seen it]. I’m not denying that I saw it,” said Starr.
After giving this answer, the interview was interrupted by prominent right wing public relations operative Merrie Spaeth who had accompanied Starr (Spaeth had advised Starr during Bill Clinton’s impeachment proceedings). After her demand that the station not include that portion of the interview was ignored by KWTX, she pulled Starr away only to have him return to re-answer the question.
“All I’m going to say is I have no recollection of that,” Starr said.
“Is that okay?” he then asked Spaeth.
“Don’t look at me, look at her,” Spaeth replied.
“I honestly have no recollection of seeing such an email and I believe that I would remember seeing such an email.”
According to KWTX, Spaeth later apologized for interrupting.
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