Lewinsky Book Purchases Ruled Irrelevant

Whatever former White House intern Monica S. Lewinsky bought at one Washington bookstore is irrelevant to the investigation of her relationship with President Clinton, a federal judge has ruled.

The store, Barnes & Noble, will not be forced to turn over records sought by independent counsel Kenneth W. Starr, U.S. District Judge Norma Holloway Johnson wrote in a court order made public Friday.

“The court finds that none of the material submitted by Barnes & Noble falls within the zone of compelling interest” of Starr’s investigation, the judge wrote in the order May 22.

Starr is investigating allegations that Clinton had a sexual relationship with Lewinsky and then, along with others, tried to cover it up.

He argued that he needed Lewinsky’s purchase records from two Washington bookstores because Clinton testified in the Paula Corbin Jones lawsuit that Lewinsky gave him “a book or two.” Starr is still seeking records from the other store, Kramerbooks, which is fighting his subpoena.

According to sources familiar with Starr’s investigation, prosecutors are trying to determine if Lewinsky’s purchases included Nicholson Baker’s steamy novel about phone sex, “Vox.” Lewinsky received a copy of poet Walt Whitman’s classic book “Leaves of Grass” from Clinton.

Both stores resisted Starr’s original request for documents related to Lewinsky dating to November 1995. The newly unsealed documents show that after the judge narrowed Starr’s request, both stores turned over the records to her.

The judge then reviewed the records privately and ruled that Starr may not have the Barnes & Noble material, said Austin Campriello, a lawyer for the 1,000-store chain.

“In her view . . . there was no compelling need” for Starr to see the material, Campriello said. “So, in essence, we won.”

Meanwhile, the U.S. Court of Appeals on Friday agreed to hear arguments within weeks on whether presidential advisor Bruce R. Lindsey and three Secret Service employees can be forced to testify in the Lewinsky investigation.

The case will be handled by a three-judge panel in Washington that includes two Clinton appointees: David Tatel and Judith Rogers. The third judge, A. Raymond Randolph, was appointed by former President Bush.

Oral arguments were set for June 26 in the Secret Service case and the week of June 29 on the Lindsey matter, with written briefs due beforehand.

The federal appeals court for the District of Columbia acted only a day after the Supreme Court denied a petition from Starr to hear arguments this month.

The Clinton administration filed the appeals after Johnson ordered Lindsey and the Secret Service employees to testify.