71.   And the effectiveness of civil suits is greatly enhanced by the existence of the independent counsel.

72.   And the referral in fact went forward, and the Whitewater independent counsel, Robert B. Fiske, Jr., is now pursuing it.

73.   Another independent counsel, Donald Smaltz, lost a case against former Agriculture Secretary Michael Espy but is still wrapping up his investigation.

74.   Another cabinet member, Commerce Secretary Ronald Brown, was the target of an independent counsel investigation into his financial dealings.

75.   Any cabinet member facing an independent counsel is bound to be worried, but Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt has extra reason to fret.

76.   Any new appointee would be seen as a Clinton partisan, almost ensuring the appointment of yet another independent counsel.

77.   Another problem is that an admission of guilt on the perjury charges would make easier for independent counsel Kenneth Starr to indict him once he leaves office.

78.   Another question hanging over the proceedings is whether Kenneth W. Starr, the independent counsel, will seek to prosecute the president separately from his impeachment trial.

79.   Any limiting of the Starr investigation would have to be approved by the panel of federal judges that supervises the independent counsel.

80.   Any independent counsel would want to expand the scope of the inquiry.