Kenneth Starr's passionate defense Wednesday of Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein is notable as Rosenstein faces rising expectations that he'll be removed from his post after the midterm elections. | Win McNamee/Getty Images Legal Ken Starr: Americans 'should have confidence in Rod Rosenstein' Starr served as the independent counsel whose investigation led to the impeachment of President Bill Clinton.

Ken Starr, the independent counsel whose investigation led to Bill Clinton's impeachment, delivered a passionate defense Wednesday of Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, whose stewardship of special counsel Robert Mueller's ongoing Russia probe has drawn scorn from President Donald Trump and his allies.

"Rod has just rock-ribbed integrity," Starr said during an interview at a Brookings Institution conference on the justice system. "He is completely committed to the rule of law. He turns square corners. He will call them as he sees them."


Starr's comments are notable as Rosenstein faces intensifying pressure from Trump's GOP congressional allies and rising expectations that he'll be removed from his post after the midterm elections.

Trump has railed against Rosenstein for appointing Mueller last year to resume the FBI's probe of Russian contacts with the Trump campaign in 2016. Rosenstein appointed Mueller in the chaotic aftermath of Trump's decision to fire FBI Director James Comey.

Starr's praise of Rosenstein is, in part, based on their longstanding relationship. Starr got to know Rosenstein during his investigation of the Clintons. Starr tapped Rosenstein to join his team and he helped advise Starr on legal matters.

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Starr said Americans "should have complete confidence in Rod given his impeccable record."

He noted that Rosenstein is the kind of person who'd resign rather than surreptitiously undermine the Trump administration. That, too, is notable given recent reports suggesting Rosenstein had proposed secretly recording Trump the week before he appointed Mueller. Rosenstein has insisted his remarks were made in jest.

Starr also said he generally supports Mueller, praising him for "professionalism" and "integrity." He speculated that Mueller, based on public reports and Justice Department practices, would produce two reports: an "executive summary" meant for Congress that describes the crux of his findings, and a more fulsome report for Rosenstein, who would then have discretion about what to share with Congress.