11.   If Reno had appointed an outside counsel, the vice president could have been dogged by investigators while campaigning for the presidency.

12.   In reality, of course, once a counsel is appointed, he or she has the legal authority to follow any evidence of illegal activity.

13.   Independent counsels are appointed pursuant to the Ethics in Government Act.

14.   Independent counsels would be appointed by a three-judge panel if the attorney general thought an investigation by the Justice Department could not impartial.

15.   Other counsels were appointed by presidents in the administrations of Theodore Roosevelt and Harry Truman.

16.   That Hobson-McCarthy contact violated a rule that forbids members to discuss investigations outside the committee, according to Gingrich critics who want an independent counsel appointed.

17.   The act sets up a special court to appoint the counsels.

18.   The law requires Reno to recommend to a special federal court that an independent counsel be appointed after following a two-step process.

19.   Therefore, no independent counsel need be appointed....

20.   This is the first of several steps before an independent counsel can be appointed.