Ken Starr demanded transparency in the wake of the Baylor football sexual assault scandal.
But, by the looks of a recent television interview with the school’s former president, he’s not capable of practicing what he has preached.
Starr has said he wanted the Baylor Board of Regents to be transparent and release the full Pepper Hamilton report to get to the bottom of how so many sexual assault accusations were either ignored or covered up at the private Baptist university. He even said he resigned from his role as chancellor so he could speak more freely about the issues.
However, when his feet were put to the fire by Julie Hays of KWTX-TV in Waco, he issued three different answers for a question about an email sent to him by a student claiming to be raped at Baylor by former football player Tevin Elliott, who was sentenced to up to 20 years in prison for a separate sexual assault.
Hays: “What about the victim that came forward saying that she had personally sent you an email and [former football coach] Art Briles an email saying in the subject line that she was raped at Baylor. Did you ever see that email?”
Starr: “I honestly may have. I’m not denying that I saw it.”
This is his first answer. Shortly after, he leaves the room to consult with Merrie Spaeth, a PR fixer who coached Starr when he gave testimony to impeach former president Bill Clinton. When Starr returns, his answer changes.
Starr: “All I’m going to say is I honestly have no recollection of that.”
Starr asks Spaeth if that answer is OK. And then he changes it again.
Starr: “I honestly have no recollection of seeing such an email, and I believe that I would remember seeing such an email. The president of a university gets lots of emails. I don’t even see a lot of the emails that come into the office of the president. I have no recollection. None.”
This is the man who wants transparency.