Report: Foster Not Murdered Starr’s Investigation Concludes Claims Of Conspiracy Not True

Whitewater independent counsel Kenneth W. Starr has completed a voluminous report that sources say refutes claims by right-wing organizations that presidential aide Vincent Foster was the victim of a murder and that President Clinton and his wife, Hillary, tried to cover it up.

Running to more than 100 pages, the report rests on an exhaustive inquiry into the events surrounding Foster’s July 1993 death, and was completed recently, sources said.

“It is accurate and fulsome, and I believe it will be released shortly,” one source said. “It puts the lie to that bunch of nuts out there spinning conspiracy theories and talking about murder and cover-ups.”

Starr’s probe marks the third examination of Foster’s death. Earlier findings of suicide were returned by a coroner and by Robert B. Fiske, Starr’s predecessor as independent counsel, but right-wing political groups have continued to allege the president and first lady were implicated in Foster’s death.

Foster, who served as deputy White House counsel, was a close friend of both Clintons and a former law partner of Hillary Clinton.

Among his other duties, he had helped prepare the tax returns of the Whitewater Development Corp., the controversial Arkansas real estate venture involving the Clintons.

Starr, who last week announced he would quit as Whitewater counsel to take an academic post, then reversed his decision, has not said when he will release the report.