Updated: Feb 11 1998 9:24AM

WASHINGTON: Kenneth Starr dragged Monica Lewinsky's mother before his grand jury today, determined to paint the former White House intern into an evidentiary corner. Marcia Lewis spent three hours testifying before Starr's investigation, having failed to overturn a subpoena against her.

"Basically Lewis's testimony is hearsay evidence that couldn't be used against Clinton," says TIME White House correspondent Jay Branegan. "But they want to use this to box Monica in for when she testifies on Thursday." Monica Lewinsky is reported to have consulted with her mother during a telephone conversation with Linda Tripp over how to deal with the probe into the alleged affair.

It was an otherwise quiet day in the unfolding investigation. David Kendall and William Ginsburg, attorneys for President Clinton and Monica Lewinsky, respectively, have been silenced by their own court filings: Ginsburg is battling to stop Lewinsky from being forced into court Thursday, while Kendall has filed suit to plug the Lewinsky leaks he claims are coming from Starr's office. And it was reported from Capitol Hill that Republicans were discussing ways to bolster the House Judiciary Committee in the event that Starr turns his investigation over to Congress to consider impeachment.

-- Tony Karon