1.   -- Lloyd Cutler, superlawyer and elder statesman of the Democratic Party, is slated to be the leadoff witness as White House counsel.

2.   After winning acquittal on bribery charges brought by independent counsel Donald Smaltz, Espy vowed to be the leadoff witness in Congress against extending the law as written.

3.   Nancy Temple, the Arthur Andersen lawyer and a leadoff witness, could even emerge as a fall gal.

4.   Sen. Robert Torricelli, D-N.J., chided the Republicans in his interrogation of Sullivan for not having a heavier hitter for their leadoff witness.

5.   The counterattack began even before Starr uttered a word as the leadoff witness before the House Judiciary Committee.

6.   The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is due to begin hearings on the START II treaty next Tuesday with Secretary of State Warren Christopher as the leadoff witness.

7.   U.S. Ambassador Richard Holbrooke was to be the leadoff witness.

8.   Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers, the leadoff witness for two days of hearings by the banking panel, defended the administration policy of continuing to provide aid to Russia.