Presidents and Impeachment: Bill Clinton and the House of Representatives
In 1994, Paula Jones filed a lawsuit accusing President Bill Clinton of sexual harassment. The alleged conduct dated back to when Clinton had been the Governor of Arkansas in 1991. Clinton attempted to delay the trial of the case until after he left office as Presideny, but in May 1997 the United States Supreme Court unanimously ordered the case to proceed. Shortly thereafter the pre-trial discovery process commenced. In an attempt to allege similar fact evidence, lawyers for Jones wanted to prove that Clinton had engaged in a similar pattern of behavior with other women in order to add credibility to Jones' claims.
That same year, in late 1997, Linda Tripp began secretly recording conversations with her friend Monica Lewinsky, a former intern and Department of Defense employee. Lewinsky had confided to Tripp that she had had a sexual relationship with the President. Tripp shared this information with Paula Jones' lawyers, and they added Lewinsky on their witness list in December 1997. All of this was taking place as Clinton was being investigated by Special Prosecutor Ken Starr, who had been appointed to investigate an unrelated matter, concerning an investment made by Bill and Hillary Clinton into a real estate development known as Whitewater. According to the Starr Report, after Lewinsky appeared on the witness list Clinton began taking steps to conceal their relationship. This included suggesting to Lewinsky that she file a false affidavit, suggesting she use false cover stories, asking her to conceal gifts he had given her, and helping her obtain a better job.
Clinton gave a sworn deposition on January 17, 1998, in which he denied under oath that he had a "sexual relationship", "sexual affair" or "sexual relations" with Lewinsky. He also denied that he was ever alone with her. In Clinton's presence, his lawyer, Robert S. Bennett, had stated that Lewinsky's affidavit showed that there was no sex in any manner, shape or form between Clinton and Lewinsky. The Starr Report also alleged that Clinton had told his secretary Betty Currie to repeat his denials should she be called to testify.
When rumors of the scandal became reported in the news, Clinton publicly stated, "I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky." After undisputed proof was revealed that this was false, Clinton admitted that his relationship with Lewinsky was "wrong" and "not appropriate". Lewinsky had performed oral sex with Clinton several times.
The judge in the Jones case later ruled the Lewinsky matter was irrelebant, and threw out the case in April 1998 on the grounds that Jones had failed to show any damages. After Jones appealed, Clinton agreed in November 1998 to settle the case for $850,000 without any admission of wrongdoing.
On January 12, 1998, Linda Tripp, informed Starr that Lewinsky was preparing to commit perjury in the Jones case. She also said Clinton's friend Vernon Jordan was assisting Lewinsky. Jordan was already under scrutiny in the Whitewater probe. Starr obtained approval from Attorney-General Janet Reno to expand his investigation into whether Lewinsky and others were breaking the law.
Clinton maintained that in the deposition, he had not been untruthful, parsing his denial on the precise use of the word "is". Clinton said that his statement that "there's nothing going on between us" had been truthful because he had no ongoing relationship with Lewinsky at the time he was questioned. Clinton said, "It depends upon what the meaning of the word 'is' is. If the—if he—if 'is' means is and never has been, that is not—that is one thing. If it means there is none, that was a completely true statement".
Starr obtained an order seizing the computer hard drive and email records of Monica Lewinsky. Based on the president's conflicting testimony, Starr concluded that Clinton had committed perjury. He submitted his findings to Congress in a lengthy document, called the Starr Report, which was released to the public via the Internet a few days later. The report included descriptions of the intimate encounters between Clinton and Lewinsky.
Starr was criticized by Democrats for spending $70 million on an investigation that substantiated only perjury and obstruction of justice. It was also alleged that his investigation was highly politicized because of regular leaks to the press. They also complained that the report included lengthy descriptions which were humiliating and irrelevant to the charges.
The House of Representatives voted to commence impeachment proceedings against Clinton on October 8, 1998. The House Judiciary Committee decided not to conduct an investigations of its own into Clinton's alleged wrongdoing, relying on Starr's investigation instead. The 1998 midterm elections were approaching and impeachment was one of the major issues in those elections.
In the November 1998 House elections, the Democrats picked up five seats in the House, but the Republicans still maintained majority control. The results were a surprise to House Speaker Newt Gingrich who had predicted that Clinton's scandal would result in Republican gains of up to thirty House seats. Shortly after the elections, Gingrich announced he would resign from Congress as soon as he was able to find somebody to fill his vacant seat. Gingrich officially resigned from Congress on January 3, 1999.
Impeachment proceedings were held after the mid-terms in a "lame duck" session of the outgoing 105th United States Congress. Debate in the House was spirited on both sides. Representative Bob Livingston, who was expected to replace Gingrich as House Speaker, announced his resignation from Congress from the floor of the House after his own marital infidelity came to light in the media. In that speech, Livingston encouraged Clinton to resign. Clinton chose to remain in office and urged Livingston to reconsider his resignation. When Larry Flynt, a publisher of pornographic magazines had offered a reward for information about Republican members of Congress who had committed acts of marital infidelity, three other Republican Member of Congress, (Dan Burton, Helen Chenoweth, and Henry Hyde) had their infidelities exposed. All of them had voted for impeachment.
When the resolution came to a vote, Clinton was impeached by the House of Representatives on December 19, 1998 on grounds of perjury to a grand jury (by a 228–206 vote) and obstruction of justice (by a 221–212 vote). Two other articles of impeachment failed – a second count of perjury in the Jones case (by a 205–229 vote) and one accusing Clinton of abuse of power (by a 148–285 vote).
Clinton became the second U.S. president to be impeached and the third president against whom articles of impeachment had been brought before the full House.
That same year, in late 1997, Linda Tripp began secretly recording conversations with her friend Monica Lewinsky, a former intern and Department of Defense employee. Lewinsky had confided to Tripp that she had had a sexual relationship with the President. Tripp shared this information with Paula Jones' lawyers, and they added Lewinsky on their witness list in December 1997. All of this was taking place as Clinton was being investigated by Special Prosecutor Ken Starr, who had been appointed to investigate an unrelated matter, concerning an investment made by Bill and Hillary Clinton into a real estate development known as Whitewater. According to the Starr Report, after Lewinsky appeared on the witness list Clinton began taking steps to conceal their relationship. This included suggesting to Lewinsky that she file a false affidavit, suggesting she use false cover stories, asking her to conceal gifts he had given her, and helping her obtain a better job.
Clinton gave a sworn deposition on January 17, 1998, in which he denied under oath that he had a "sexual relationship", "sexual affair" or "sexual relations" with Lewinsky. He also denied that he was ever alone with her. In Clinton's presence, his lawyer, Robert S. Bennett, had stated that Lewinsky's affidavit showed that there was no sex in any manner, shape or form between Clinton and Lewinsky. The Starr Report also alleged that Clinton had told his secretary Betty Currie to repeat his denials should she be called to testify.
When rumors of the scandal became reported in the news, Clinton publicly stated, "I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky." After undisputed proof was revealed that this was false, Clinton admitted that his relationship with Lewinsky was "wrong" and "not appropriate". Lewinsky had performed oral sex with Clinton several times.
The judge in the Jones case later ruled the Lewinsky matter was irrelebant, and threw out the case in April 1998 on the grounds that Jones had failed to show any damages. After Jones appealed, Clinton agreed in November 1998 to settle the case for $850,000 without any admission of wrongdoing.
On January 12, 1998, Linda Tripp, informed Starr that Lewinsky was preparing to commit perjury in the Jones case. She also said Clinton's friend Vernon Jordan was assisting Lewinsky. Jordan was already under scrutiny in the Whitewater probe. Starr obtained approval from Attorney-General Janet Reno to expand his investigation into whether Lewinsky and others were breaking the law.
Clinton maintained that in the deposition, he had not been untruthful, parsing his denial on the precise use of the word "is". Clinton said that his statement that "there's nothing going on between us" had been truthful because he had no ongoing relationship with Lewinsky at the time he was questioned. Clinton said, "It depends upon what the meaning of the word 'is' is. If the—if he—if 'is' means is and never has been, that is not—that is one thing. If it means there is none, that was a completely true statement".
Starr obtained an order seizing the computer hard drive and email records of Monica Lewinsky. Based on the president's conflicting testimony, Starr concluded that Clinton had committed perjury. He submitted his findings to Congress in a lengthy document, called the Starr Report, which was released to the public via the Internet a few days later. The report included descriptions of the intimate encounters between Clinton and Lewinsky.
Starr was criticized by Democrats for spending $70 million on an investigation that substantiated only perjury and obstruction of justice. It was also alleged that his investigation was highly politicized because of regular leaks to the press. They also complained that the report included lengthy descriptions which were humiliating and irrelevant to the charges.
The House of Representatives voted to commence impeachment proceedings against Clinton on October 8, 1998. The House Judiciary Committee decided not to conduct an investigations of its own into Clinton's alleged wrongdoing, relying on Starr's investigation instead. The 1998 midterm elections were approaching and impeachment was one of the major issues in those elections.
In the November 1998 House elections, the Democrats picked up five seats in the House, but the Republicans still maintained majority control. The results were a surprise to House Speaker Newt Gingrich who had predicted that Clinton's scandal would result in Republican gains of up to thirty House seats. Shortly after the elections, Gingrich announced he would resign from Congress as soon as he was able to find somebody to fill his vacant seat. Gingrich officially resigned from Congress on January 3, 1999.
Impeachment proceedings were held after the mid-terms in a "lame duck" session of the outgoing 105th United States Congress. Debate in the House was spirited on both sides. Representative Bob Livingston, who was expected to replace Gingrich as House Speaker, announced his resignation from Congress from the floor of the House after his own marital infidelity came to light in the media. In that speech, Livingston encouraged Clinton to resign. Clinton chose to remain in office and urged Livingston to reconsider his resignation. When Larry Flynt, a publisher of pornographic magazines had offered a reward for information about Republican members of Congress who had committed acts of marital infidelity, three other Republican Member of Congress, (Dan Burton, Helen Chenoweth, and Henry Hyde) had their infidelities exposed. All of them had voted for impeachment.
When the resolution came to a vote, Clinton was impeached by the House of Representatives on December 19, 1998 on grounds of perjury to a grand jury (by a 228–206 vote) and obstruction of justice (by a 221–212 vote). Two other articles of impeachment failed – a second count of perjury in the Jones case (by a 205–229 vote) and one accusing Clinton of abuse of power (by a 148–285 vote).
Clinton became the second U.S. president to be impeached and the third president against whom articles of impeachment had been brought before the full House.