Slick Willy: Bill Clinton's Scandalous Presidency

SLICK WILLY: BILL CLINTON'S SCANDALOUS PRESIDENCY

William (Bill) Jefferson Clinton, the 42nd president of the United States, was one of the "most popular American presidents of the 20th century", and the second president to be impeached (Dumas 1 of 15). During Clinton's two terms as president, from 1993 to 2001, his contributions to America were great. The country's economic quickly recovered from early Ð''90's recession, interest rates fell to an all time low and jobs were plentiful. However, during his tenor as president he will always be remembered for the Paula Jones, Monica Lewinsky, and the Whitewater scandals.

In August 1994, independent counselor Kenneth Starr was appointed to investigate what is now known as the "Whitewater Affair". The Whitewater scandal developed in Clinton's first term as president, after the death of deputy White House counsel Vincent Foster (Wikipedia ). It was learned that after Foster's death chief White House counsel Bernard Nussbaum had removed documents concerning Whitewater Development Corporation from Fosters office (Wikipedia ).

Many of Clinton's friends were investors in the project, and prosecutors determined that the failed Whitewater project involved numerous illegal transactions including fraudulent use of banks (Finkelman 267). By the end of 1998, nine individuals had pled guilty to various crimes and three others had been convicted by juries, while two prosecutions had ended in acquittals or mistrials (Finkelman 267).

In 1991, Paula Jones brought a civil lawsuit against Clinton in which she claimed he invited her to a hotel room and made sexual advances toward her. Eventually the case was dropped with a payoff, but conversations between Monica Lewinsky and Linda Tripp proved that Clinton lied about his relations with Monica Lewinsky in the Paula Jones case. In the conversation with Tripp, Lewinsky revealed she had relations with Clinton, hoping he would pull strings to get her a job. What had began as an investigation about a land deal gone sour had turned into a scandal involving the president and the young White House intern (Finkelman 269).

In 1998, evidence uncovered by the investigation of President Clinton was reviewed by the members of the House Judiciary Committee. David Schippers of the Committee reported that there was "substantial and credible evidence" to constitute grounds for impeachment (Grounds, Introduction 1 of 3).Clinton stated, "He was responsible for what he had done wrong, both as a person and a president, throughout my whole life and I took responsibility for it, but the impeachment was illegitimate" (Williams 2 of 3).

Charges of perjury and obstruction of justice, intended to hide sexual indiscretions with a White House intern, were brought against Clinton ( Baker 1 of 7). According to the House prosecutors, perjury was committed when Clinton lied under oath in Civil Court and to the Grand Jury. Perjury is no less a crime than burglary, and there's no question Mr. Clinton perjured himself in his deposition to Paula Jones's lawyers (Stephens 1 of 2). Obstruction of Justice, according to prosecutors, was committed when Clinton asked Lewinsky to lie in the Jones case in return for a job.

The Senate acquitted President Clinton on the charges, permitting him to complete the remaining 708 days of his term (Baker 1 of 7). Clinton spoke to the nation following his acquittal by the Senate on impeachment charges (Baker 1 of 7). Clinton stated, "I want to say again to