Director of the FBI Louis Freeh and the Justice Department’s lead investigator, Charles La Bella, have both concluded that the law calls for Attorney General Janet Reno to appoint a special prosecutor to take over the department’s campaign-finance investigation of the White House. Ms. Reno’s refusal to do so has both perplexed and infuriated Republicans in Congress.

But is her position really such a surprise when the four-year, $40 million Whitewater investigation culminates with special prosecutor Kenneth Starr rifling through Monica Lewinsky’s old dresses?

Mr. Starr’s behavior does not excuse the attorney general from carrying out the duties of her office, but it does explain why she can look at the voluntary and mandatory provisions in the Independent Counsel Act and see opacity in the law when everyone else calls it clear. The Starr odessey set sail with decade-old questions over a land deal, about which he apparently can conclude nothing, drifted past accusations by Paula Corbin Jones, which not even a judge is interested in hearing, and is now on course to make a he said-she said case about the alleged affair between President Clinton and Ms. Lewinsky.

These activities block the path of the real investation that should proceed with an independent counsel. The ’96 Clinton-Gore re-election campaign, according to testimony by Director Freeh and news reports of Mr. La Bella’s work, contained numerous examples of wrongdoing in the areas of foreign contributions. Particularly troubling are suggestions of meddling by the Chinese government.

This, more than an inquiry into extramarital sex, is worthy of a special prosecutor. This affects the nation’s future, and would give voters important information about Mr. Gore and his desire to become the next president. By comparison, Mr. Starr’s work is Jerry-Springer-on-the-Potomac.

Janet Reno cannot ignore the advice of her own department forever, and she should not. To help prod her along, Sen. Arlen Spector of Pennsylvania has drafted a petition for a court order that requires public officials to carry out a legal duty. He will find plenty of support in Congress.

Notwithstanding Mr. Starr’s labors, the public should support it, too.