Ken Starr says Trump hasn't obstructed justice: 'Being unwise doesn’t constitute a crime'

(Image credit: Win McNamee / Staff)

published 8 March 2019

Former independent counsel Ken Starr came to President Trump's defense on Friday, saying he has not obstructed justice.

Starr, who led the investigation into former President Bill Clinton, squared off against former White House Press Secretary Joe Lockhart on CNN after the two met for the first time. One key disagreement was about whether Trump has obstructed justice, with Starr arguing he hasn't.

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Starr also said that Trump hasn't "shut down the investigation" and that for there to be obstruction, "you need to see action that actually results in the investigation not being able to be carried forward." Lockhart pointed to Trump's contradicting explanations for his firing of former FBI Director James Comey, but Starr argued that while the president has said some things that are "unwise," "being unwise doesn’t constitute a crime." Watch a portion of the debate below. Brendan Morrow

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Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.

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