Unlike many of his peers, Starr continued to practice law on the side and at one point last year announced plans to leave altogether when he accepted a job as dean of the schools of law and public policy at Pepperdine University in California. Only when allies and staff members expressed revulsion at the decision did Starr back away from the offer. Theories abound on what transformed Starr from prosecutorial dabbler to crusader. Friends say the catalysts were attacks on his motives and staff by Clinton's allies and Starr's growing conviction that Clinton had done something ugly and impeachable on the job and was covering it up. Aggressiveness, however, does not equate with zealotry or unfairness.
Many good prosecutors are aggressive.
It is also true that throughout the Starr investigation, there has been a battle raging within the independent counsel's team for his heart and mind. He has tried to run his office by consensus, allowing each attorney a say. It has not always worked, and at various times, different camps have prevailed. Over time, however, the more hawkish of Starr's prosecutors have carried the day, according to former prosecutors and other Starr allies. This is the antithesis of how Judge Starr would behave.