Leaks happen, particularly in high-profile cases.
Still, defense lawyers inevitably seize the opportunity to mount bitter protests, claiming that their clients have been irreparably harmed. Yesterday that traditional dance was played out on the national stage with a particularly nasty exchange between Clinton's personal lawyer, David E. Kendall, and Starr. Kendall took to the steps of his law firm to denounce the independent counsel for leaking and said he would take him to court on Monday, whereupon Starr faxed to news organizations an angry response that all but accused Clinton's lawyers of being the source of the damaging leaks in the first place. Kendall accused Starr of violating an array of laws, rules and ethical prohibitions, saying he had complained privately since Starr's 1994 appointment, but was moved to take issue publicly yesterday because of the flurry of stories surrounding Starr's investigation of Clinton's alleged affair with Monica S. Lewinsky. Leon E. Panetta to former White House interns, have stood on the steps of the federal courthouse here and offered summaries of what they said inside the grand jury room.