TOLES阅读总统弹劾案.docx

TOLES阅读总统弹劾案.docx

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TOLES阅读总统弹劾案

TheImpeachmentTrialofPresidentWilliamClinton

ByDouglasO.Linder（2005）

In1999，foronlythesecondtimeinUnitedStateshistory，theSenateconductedanimpeachmenttrialofaPresident.TheacquittalofWilliamJeffersonClintononFebruary12cameasnogreatsurprise，giventhenearparty-linevoteonimpeachmentchargesintheHouseofRepresentativesleadingtothetrial.

Despiteitspredictableoutcome，theimpeachmenttrialofPresidentClintoniswellworthstudying，bothforwhatitsaysaboutthefailureofthejudiciaryandpoliticalinstitutionstorespondadequatelytoanunprecedentedsituation，andwhatittellsusaboutthefailuresofBillClinton，theall-too-humanoccupantofthenation'shighestoffice.Thetrialalsoraisesfascinatingquestionsaboutthedistinctionbetweenpublicmoralityandprivatemorality.

Background：

ThePaulaJonesSexualHarassmentSuit

TheimpeachmentsagaofPresidentClintonhasitsoriginsinasexualharassmentlawsuitbroughtinArkansasinMay，1994byPaulaJones，aformerArkansasstateemployee.Inhersuit，JonesallegedthatonMay8，1991，whileshehelpedtostaffastate-sponsoredmanagementconferenceattheExcelsiorHotelinLittleRock，astatetrooperandmemberofGovernorClinton'ssecuritydetail，DannyFerguson，approachedherandtoldherthattheGovernorwouldliketomeetherinhishotelsuite.Minuteslater，Jones，seeingthisasanopportunitytoadvancehercareer，tooktheelevatortoClinton'ssuite.There，accordingtoherdisputedaccount，Clintonmadeaseriesofincreasinglyaggressivemoves，culminatinginhisdroppinghispantsexposinganerection——andthenaskingJonesto“kissit.”JonesclaimedthatshestoodandtoldtheGovernor，“I'mnotthatkindofgirl.”Assheleft，Clintonstoppedherbythedoorandsaid，“You'reasmartgirl，let'skeepthisbetweenourselves.”

LawyersforClintonarguedthattheJonessuitwoulddistracthimfromtheimportanttasksofhisofficeandshouldnotbeallowedtogoforwardwhileheoccupiedtheWhiteHouse.Clinton'simmunityclaimeventuallyreachedtheUnitedStatesSupremeCourt.TheCourtruledunanimouslyinMay，1997againstthePresident，andalloweddiscoveryinthecasetoproceed.AsFederalAppealsCourtJudge（andReaganappointee）RichardA.PosnernotedinAnAffairofState：

TheInvestigation，Impeachment，andTrialofPresidentClinton，theCourt's“inept，”“unpragmatic，”and“backward-looking”decisioninClintonvJones，andanearlierdecisionbytheCourtupholdingtheconstitutionalityoftheactauthorizingtheappointmentofindependentcounsels，hadmajorconsequences：

“Clinton'saffairwithMonicaLewinsky，anaffairintrinsicallydevoidofsignificancetoanyoneexceptLewinsky，wouldhaveremainedasecretfromthepublic.Thepublicwouldnothavebeenworsefornotknowingaboutit.Therewouldhavebeennoimpeachmentinquiry，noimpeachment，noconcernsaboutthemotivesbehindthePresident'smilitaryactionsagainstterroristsandroguestatesinthesummerandfallof1998，nospectacleoftheUnitedStatesSenateplay-actingatadjudication.TheSupremeCourt'sdecisionscreatedasituationthatledthePresidentandhisdefendersintothepatternofcornered-ratbehaviorthatengenderedaconstitutionalstormandthatmayhaveembitteredAmericanpolitics，weakenedthePresidency，distractedthefederalgovernmentfromessentialbusiness，andunderminedtheruleoflaw.”

AsaresultoftheSupremeCourt'saction，JudgeSusanWeberWrightalloweddiscoverytoproceedinthePaulaJoneslawsuit.JudgeWrightruledthatlawyersforJones，inordertohelpprovehersexualharassmentclaim，couldinquireintoanysexualrelationshipsthatClintonmighthavewithsubordinateseitherasGovernorofArkansasorasPresidentoftheUnitedStates.AcriticalmomentinthecascadeofeventsthatwouldeventuallyleadtoimpeachmentcameonDecember5，1997whenJones'slawyerssubmittedalistofwomenthattheywouldliketodepose.IncludedonthelistthenameofMonicaLewinsky.

ThePresidentandMonicaLewinsky

MonicaLewinskycametoWashingtoninJuly1995toworkasaWhiteHouseinternatage21，newlygraduatedfromLewisandClarkCollegeinPortland.Inherfirstfewmonthsonthejob，theaggressiveandsexuallyexperiencedLewinskymetandflirtedwiththePresident，butnoopportunitiesforclosepersonalcontactarose.InNovember1995，however，LewinskywasassignedtotheWestWingandshesoonfoundherselfalonewithClinton.HeaskedifhecouldkissLewinsky.Shequicklyconsented.Laterthatevening，thetwowouldhavethefirstofwhateventuallywouldbetensexualencountersoverasixteen-monthperiod.Aftereightoftheencountershadtakenplace，inApril1996，Clinton'sdeputychiefofstaff——mostlikelyawareofthethreattheyounginternposed——reassignedLewinskytotheapositionintheDepartmentofDefense.ThefollowingmonthClintontoldadisappointedLewinsky（“Hewasmysunshine，”shelatertoldagrandjury）hewasendingtherelationship，buthereviveditbrieflyinearly1997.

Theencountersfollowedapredictablepattern.GenerallytheyoccurredonweekendmorningsinandaroundtheOvalOffice（includingastudy，ahallway，andabathroom），whenfewpeopleexceptClinton'spersonalsecretary，BettyCurrie，wouldbearoundtheWestWing.Althoughmanyprivatemeetingsbetweenthetwoinvolvednosexualactivity，whentheydidtheygenerallyincludedLewinskyfellatingthePresidentandthePresidentfondlingherbreastsandgenitalia.Onthreeoccasions，LewinskyperformedoralsexwhilethePresidenttalkedonthephonetomembersofCongress.LewinskytoldClintonshewouldliketohavevaginalintercoursewithhim，butheresisted.Healsoterminatedtheoralsexsessionsbeforeejaculationuntiltheirlasttwoencounters.

WhenClintonagaintoldLewinskyinMay1997thattheirsexualrelationshipwasover，sheredoubledeffortsthatbeganthepreviousyeartoenlistthePresident'sassistanceinfindingemployment.LewinskyreceivedajobofferfromU.N.AmbassadorBillRichardsonseveralmonthslater，butsheturneditdown，preferringtofindprivatesectoremployment.ClintongolfingbuddyandpowerbrokerVernonJordan，actingatwhathepresumedtobethePresident'srequestthroughBettyCurrie，metwithLewinskytodiscussemploymentpossibilitiesinNovember1997.

LessthantwoweeksafterLewinsky'snameappearedontheJonesdepositionlist，Clintontoldherthenews.Headvisedherthatfilinganaffidavitmightavoidthenecessityofadeposition（butonly，heneedhardlyhavesaid，ifshedeniedasexualrelationship），andheremindedheroftheir“coverstory”forherfrequenttripstoOvalOffice——thatshewasjustdeliveringdocuments.TwodaysafterdiscussingthematterwithClinton，LewinskyreceivedasubpoenatoappearforadepositioninJanuary1998.ShecalledVernonJordan，whoagainmetwithherandreferredhertoanattorney，whoproceededtodraftanaffidavitthatreflectedherdenialofanysexualinvolvementwiththePresident.

JustafterChristmas，LewinskyspokeagainwithClinton，raisingherconcernthatthesubpoenahadrequestedthatshebringtothedepositionanygifts——andthereweremany——thatshehadreceivedfromhim.AlthoughClintonapparentlyinformedLewinskythatshewasobligatedtogivethelawyersforJonesanygiftsinherpossession，acallcamelaterthatdayfromCurrie，indicatingthatsheunderstoodLewinskyhadsomeitemsshe'dliketogiveherforsafekeeping.（Currie，inhertestimony，disagreedwithLewinsky'sversionofeventsandclaimedthatthecallaboutthepresentscamefromLewinsky，nother.）CurriedrovetoLewinsky'shomeandcartedawayaboxofClintongiftsandputthemunderherbed.

InearlyJanuary1998，Lewinskysignedanaffidavit，withtheintentoffilingitfortheJonescase，claimingherrelationshipwiththePresidentwasnon-sexual.ThedayafterLewinskyshowedtheaffidavittoVernonJordan，JordanmadeacalltoRonaldPerelman，afriendandmemberoftheBoardofDirectorsofRevlon，encouraginghimtohireLewinsky.ThejobofferfromRevloncamejusttwodayslater.

LindaTrippGetsInvolved

ThesourceoftheinformationthatputMonicaLewinsky'snameonthedepositionlistfortheJonescasewasLindaTripp.TripphadservedintheBushWhiteHouse，andwasheldoverinherjobwhenClintonbecamepresidentin1993.TrippcametodespiseClinton.In1996，whensheconsideredhowtoexposewhatsheconsideredtobeWestWingscandals，shecontactedaconservativeliteraryagentandself-describedClinton-hater，LucianneGoldberg.GoldbergurgedTripptowriteanexpose'，butatthattimeTripp'sconcernwithkeepingherjobcausedhertorejectthesuggestion.

Tripp'snamecametopublicattentioninAugust1997whenitappearedinaNewsweekarticleinwhichsherecalledrunningintoaWhiteHousevolunteer，KathleenWilley，shortlyafterWilleyhadbeenkissedandfondledbyClintoninhisprivateoffice.（Willey，accordingtoTripp，was“happyandjoyful”andtheincidentwas“notacaseofsexualharassment.”）PaulaJones'slawyers，ofcourse，tooknoteofTripp'saccount——andundoubtedlydeterminedatthattimetoaddTripptotheirlistofpotentialwitnesses.

MonthsbeforetheWilleystorybroke，however，Tripplearnedfromherthen-friend，MonicaLewinsky，thatshewashavinganaffairwiththePresident.TripptoldthereporterforNewsweek，MichaelIsikoff，whenheapproachedhertoaskaboutWilley'sencounterwithClintonthatthebetterstoryinvolvedaWhiteHouseintern，whosheleftunnamed.Tripp，partlyforherownself-defenseandpartlyoutofadesiretodamagethePresident'sreputation，begansecretlytaping（inviolationoft