In 1998, the presidency of Bill Clinton, the 42nd U.S. President, was dramatically shaken when news surfaced about his affair with Monica Lewinsky, a White House intern. This revelation was more than just a personal scandal; it quickly escalated into a significant political and legal crisis that culminated in the impeachment of the President. Understanding Why Was Bill Clinton Impeached requires delving into the specifics of the accusations, the legal process, and the broader political context of the late 1990s.
The Lewinsky Scandal and Starr Investigation
The story broke in January 1998, detailing President Clinton’s relationship with Monica Lewinsky. This immediately became politically explosive due to the potential legal ramifications. Special Prosecutor Kenneth Starr, who had been investigating the Whitewater land deal and facing resistance from witnesses, saw a possible pattern of obstruction. Starr suspected that the White House was attempting to silence individuals, and Linda Tripp, a White House employee, provided Starr’s team with evidence of Clinton’s affair with Lewinsky. Tripp’s tapes suggested a cover-up, reinforcing Starr’s belief that Lewinsky was being offered job prospects to maintain her silence.
This evidence led Starr to expand his investigation beyond financial matters to include the President’s sexual conduct. Under oath, Clinton was questioned about his relationship with Lewinsky. His testimony and subsequent actions by the White House to handle evidence related to Lewinsky, which appeared to show signs of tampering, became central to Starr’s charges of illegal behavior and the subsequent impeachment proceedings against Clinton. Starr was convinced that President Clinton had committed perjury by lying about the affair and had obstructed justice by encouraging others to lie on his behalf. For many observers at the time, impeachment or resignation appeared to be the inevitable outcome.
Public Disclosure and Clinton’s Admission
For seven months, the Lewinsky affair dominated American public discourse, drawing intense media scrutiny and public debate, reminiscent of the Watergate scandal and Nixon’s resignation. Revelations emerged, including taped conversations where Lewinsky detailed the affair and the infamous dress with the President’s DNA. On August 17, 1998, after testifying before a grand jury, President Clinton addressed the nation in a televised statement. He admitted to “inappropriate” conduct with Lewinsky and acknowledged misleading the public and embarrassing his family. However, crucially, he did not confess to perjury, instructing others to lie, or orchestrating a cover-up.
House Impeachment and Articles of Impeachment
Following Clinton’s admission, Starr submitted his report to the House of Representatives. The report alleged grounds for impeachment on several counts: perjury, obstruction of justice, abuse of power, and other offenses. Televised House hearings ensued, accompanied by the release of thousands of documents, many containing explicit details. The House Judiciary Committee, in a strictly partisan vote, recommended initiating a formal impeachment inquiry. Subsequently, the full House of Representatives adopted two articles of impeachment against President Clinton. These charges were perjury in his grand jury testimony and obstruction of justice in his interactions with potential witnesses.
Senate Trial and Acquittal
The U.S. Senate, as mandated by the Constitution, commenced its trial in mid-January 1999 to judge the evidence against President Clinton. It quickly became apparent that securing the two-thirds majority needed to convict and remove Clinton from office was unlikely. Senators who voted against impeachment argued that the President’s actions, while morally questionable and involving private matters, did not constitute “high crimes and misdemeanors” – offenses against the state. They distinguished between personal failings and actions that threatened the office of the President or national security.
Conversely, those who voted for conviction argued that a President who commits perjury and obstructs justice, even in private matters, undermines the rule of law, thus constituting a “high crime.” Ultimately, on February 12, 1999, President Clinton was acquitted on both counts. On the perjury charge, 45 Republican senators voted to convict, while 45 Democrats and 10 Republicans voted for acquittal. On the obstruction of justice charge, 50 Republicans voted to convict, with 45 Democrats and 5 Republicans voting for acquittal. Thus, Bill Clinton, the second U.S. President to be impeached, remained in office to complete his second term.
Impeachment Fallout and Public Opinion
The Republican Party’s pursuit of impeachment was perceived by many as an overreach, a sentiment reflected in the November 1998 elections held just before the impeachment vote. Contrary to historical trends where the opposition party gains seats in a President’s second term midterm elections, Republicans lost five House seats and gained no Senate seats.
Throughout the impeachment process, President Clinton’s public approval ratings actually soared, reaching nearly 70 percent. While the public generally viewed Clinton negatively in terms of character and honesty, they approved of his job performance and preferred censure or condemnation over impeachment and removal. Many Americans viewed the Republican-led impeachment as a partisan attack, driven by personal scandal for political gain. Voters were largely satisfied with Clinton’s leadership on the economy and other public matters. Interestingly, Hillary Clinton’s public approval ratings surpassed the President’s during this period, largely attributed to her dignified public demeanor, elevating her popularity to unprecedented levels for a First Lady. In conclusion, why was Bill Clinton impeached boils down to allegations of perjury and obstruction of justice stemming from his affair with Monica Lewinsky, but the attempt ultimately failed due to lack of Senate support and public disapproval of the impeachment process.
