UPDATE: WASHINGTON, D.C.

In late May a federal District Court in Washington, D.C. refused to quash a subpoena from Special Prosecutor Kenneth Starr against a local bookstore. Starr’s subpoena seeks records of former White House intern Monica Lewinsky’s purchases at Kramerbooks and Afterwords.

However, Lewinsky subsequently released a list of her purchases at Kramerbooks voluntarily, and the bookstore’s list did not have to be released.

In early April, Judge Norma Johnson ordered Starr’s office to file documents describing the connection between the materials sought from the bookstores and the grand jury investigation of possible obstruction of justice by President Clinton and Lewinsky. After Starr responded, Johnson held that the Special Prosecutor had “shown a substantial relationship between the specific evidence sought and the grand jury’s investigation.”

The judge also refused to quash a subpoena against Barnes and Noble, but after reviewing the store’s list of Lewinsky’s purchases she concluded that it contained nothing of value to Starr and would not have to be released. (In re Grand Jury Subpoena to Kramerbooks & afterwords, Inc.; Counsel: Pam Bethel, Washington; In re Grand Jury Subpoena to Barnes and Noble, Inc.; Counsel: Stephen Grafman, Washington)