Sidney Blumenthal

Re “Veto Starr’s Personal Sedition Act,” Commentary, March 4:

Interesting column by Richard Rosenfeld. But he doesn’t seem to understand that the role of the press is to question the government on behalf of the people, not to manipulate the people on behalf of the government.

If Sidney Blumenthal is trying to manipulate public opinion, including that of grand jurors and potential petit jurors--and only a complete imbecile would believe that he isn’t--a prosecutor involved in a criminal investigation of the person Blumenthal works for has a perfect right--a duty, actually--to find out what he knows and what he has been doing while collecting his taxpayer-funded salary.

This has nothing to do with the 1st Amendment. The 1st Amendment protects the public and the press. Blumenthal is not a member of the press; he is a political hack being paid by the public. The public has a right to know what he is doing to earn the money we pay him.

C.R. MELTON

Marina del Rey

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No one expects the Spanish Inquisition, or even some new edition, not at least in modern-day America. But yet we have a public official in Washington, busy using taxpayer dollars, ignoring our 1st Amendment freedoms of speech and press and going about his business like some modern-day two-bit little Torquemada. I am referring to Kenneth Starr.

How dare this man compel Blumenthal to testify before a federal grand jury, solely (it appears), on the basis of his press criticism of Starr’s official conduct. Starr is using his somewhat extraordinary powers to simply cow everyone who might express any kind of criticism of him or his office into submission and silence.

CARL W. GOSS

Los Angeles

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Re “White House Dirty Tricks, Circa 1998,” Commentary, March 5: Where was Michael Kelly’s outrage for the last six years when the president has been the unrelenting target of persons “peddling filth and lies” about him? What about “false and damaging accusations”? Is this not more important to the country and the world than what might be said about a federal prosecutor?

DOROTHY MELVILLE

San Juan Capistrano

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The timing of the newest leak shows which side did the leaking. The revelation of Clinton’s Jan. 17 deposition in the Paula Jones suit is extremely damaging to Starr’s investigation, and greatly beneficial to the president (March 5). This comes at the worst possible time for Starr, who is receiving testimony from Vernon Jordan.

The president’s legal team and Jordan’s legal team are prohibited from discussing the president’s earlier deposition. Now that the deposition has been printed, Jordan has a clear road map to guide his answers. The same is true for upcoming testimony from the president’s secretary. The president’s attorney, Bob Bennett, already stated to reporters that this is a leak from “the president’s antagonists.” Fat chance.

MICHAEL COONEY

Glendale

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The Starr team leaks like a sieve--and that’s OK. The White House responds in kind--and that’s not. Poor Ken et al.--victims of a liberal left-wing conspiracy?

BARBARA SHANKS

Diamond Bar