Bill Clinton Scandal

Background• Bill Clinton was elected president January 20th, 1993. • While he was in office, the U.S. had the lowest unemployment rate and lowest inflation in recent years.• He was big on expanding NATO •increasing world trade • also made efforts to help defeat drug trafficking.

Monica lewinsky

• Had a hard time growing up–Was always very self-

conscious

• Later in life, focused on men to feel better about herself

• Had an affair with her married high school teacher after she graduated

Start of a problem

• Monica started out as an unpaid intern at the White House in 1995– She was just 21 years old, newly graduated from

Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon.

• Later she got a paid job in the Office of Legislative Affairs.– This got her close to President Clinton, she often

hand-delivered letters to the Oval Office.

• The two got to know each other better at an unofficial birthday gathering for Clinton

• Other White House staffers soon noticed Lewinsky’s inappropriate behavior

• April 1996, Deputy White House Chief of Staff, Evelyn Lieberman, transferred Lewinsky to work at the Pentagon as an assistant for Ken Bacon (Pentagon Spokesperson)

At the pentagon

• While working at the Pentagon, Lewinsky begins telling a co-worker, Linda Tripp, about her relationship with the president – lots of details

• Linda eventually started to record these conversations (the ones over the phone).

• Monica visited the Oval Office 37 times after her transfer (From April 1996 to December 1997)– She logged in as coming to visit the President’s

secretary, Betty Currie.

Paula jones• Former Arkansas State Clerk

• Was filing a suit against Bill Clinton for sexually harassing her and defaming her when she went public with the accusations– This was from when he was governor of Arkansas.

• The case was going to be dismissed, but it ended up going to the Supreme Court.

• While working on Paula’s case, prosecutor Kenneth Starr came across the newest presidential scandal.

• Jones’ lawyers subpoenaed Lewinsky.– Lewinsky, allegedly under the influence of

Clinton, denied ever having an inappropriate relationship with him.

• 5 days later, Linda Tripp contacted Kenneth Starr to talk about the recorded conversations.

• Lewinsky was taken by FBI agents and U.S. attorneys to a hotel room where she was questioned about her relationship with Clinton.– She was even offered immunity if she cooperated.

• A few days later, the story broke to the public.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gV6yhEbEw9c

• Bill Clinton was taken to court for impeachment on 11 grounds

• Including: perjury, obstruction of justice, witness-tampering and abuse of power

• They needed a 2/3 majority to impeach him but it didn't even come close to that.

• Congress hadn't seen a case like this since President Andrew Johnson

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cR6dhpbe2O4