Accusing the accuser

The Maryland state prosecutor, Stephen Montanarelli, says that any evidence from the new investigation would be heard by a grand jury.

An unconfirmed report in some American newspapers claimed that Lewinsky has indicated that she is willing to testify before such a grand jury if subpoenaed to do so. But the decision to begin the investigation against Tripp has caused apolitical and legal slanging match.

Tripp8217;s lawyer, Anthony Zaccagnini, has alleged that the move is politically motivated and that it followed pressure from Maryland Democrats on their state8217;s prosecutor. The Democrats, he said, were anxious to turn the spotlight on one of Clinton8217;s chief accusers.

The Maryland prosecutor says this is 8220;absolutely untrue8221;. But earlier this year, 49 Democrats in the state local assembly did write to another state prosecutor asking him to investigate Tripp for a possible wiretap crime. That prosecutor passed the matter to Montanarelli.

Meanwhile, a new Gallup opinion survey has found that 63 per cent of the Americans it questioned think that the investigation into Lewinsky herself should stop.