The Bill Clinton Sex Scandal The story behind Monica Lewinsky and President Bill Clinton.
President Bill Clinton Elected President on November 3rd, 1992. Assumed Presidency after George H. W. Bush. Clinton was President from 1993-2001. First Democrat in the White House since Jimmy Carter left in 1981. Clinton was the second President impeached in the country. President Andrew Johnson was the first.
How did his affair begin? In 1995, Monica Lewinsky was hired as an unpaid intern in the White House during Bill Clinton s first term. During her internship, Monica Lewinsky began a personal relationship with Bill Clinton. At the time, Monica Lewinsky was 25 and Bill Clinton was 52.
Linda Tripp Because of the immense guilt Monica Lewinsky felt, she confided in her good friend, Linda Tripp. Without Monica s knowledge, Linda Tripp began recording their telephone conversations, where Monica revealed all the information relating to her sex affair with the President.
Linda Tripp and Monica Lewinsky
How did the secret get out? In January of 1998, Lewinsky lied under oath that she did not have any type of physical relationship with the President. Because of this, Linda Tripp decided to release the conversations she had recorded with Lewinsky to Kenneth Starr, an independent prosecutor. News of the scandal broke out on January 17, 1998.
Denial- January 26, 1988 Of course, Bill Clinton denied his personal relationship with Lewinsky.
The Account of President Clinton's Alleged Misconduct Over the course of a year and a half the two had over a dozen sexual encounters. They also shared 10-15 sessions of telephone sex. On a few occasions, it was reported that Monica performed oral sex on the President while he talked business with congressmen over the phone. Also, when the two were together, Clinton was constantly afraid of being caught with the intern. Lewinsky told the grand jury that when she was at the White House on Dec. 28, 1997, for "my Christmas kiss," Clinton was looking out a window "with his eyes wide open" while they kissed. He knew that what he was doing with Monica was very wrong. The report also displayed that the President s personal secretary, Betty Currie often helped Lewinsky and Clinton with their secret affair. Betty Currie would take Lewinsky s phone calls, and would bring her to private areas of the White House and Oval Office complex, opening doors only Currie could open.
The Dress When President Clinton denied his affair, Monica Lewinsky decided to give a semen-stained dress to Starr Investigators. The DNA results provided unambiguous evidence which proved the relationship between Monica Lewinsky and Bill Clinton.
The Truth- August 17, 1988
The Aftermath Bill Clinton s license to practice law was suspended for five years. Also, he was fined $90,000 for giving false testimony. Impeachment On December 19, 1998, President Bill Clinton was impeached on charges of perjury (lying) and obstruction of justice (someone intending to interfere with a proceeding before a judge or court of the US). But, on February 12, 1999, he was acquitted (free someone from a criminal charge, declared not guilty) by the Senate.
Impact Many believed that this scandal impacted the democratic party and its popularity. The scandal was the first massive political story of the emerging Internet era of Journalism (Cillizza, The Washington Post). After the scandal, the public created a hunger for these types of tawdry sex stories. Polarized the line between personal and political in the media. Started the great divide between Democrats and Republicans. There was always the divide but after the scandal it became emotional. Instead of "we just disagree but can respect each other" it became, "if you don't think like me, you must be evil." Used his powerful position to coerce a young woman that worked for him, into an affair. People thought this was disgusting.
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