1. The Monica Lewinsky Bill Clinton Scandal
The Forensics of the Blue Dress

2. President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton was elected president January 20th, 1993.
While he was in office, the U.S. had the lowest unemployment rate and lowest inflation in recent years.
He was big on expanding NATO
increasing world trade
also made efforts to help defeat drug trafficking.

3. Monica Lewinsky
Monica started out as an unpaid intern at the White House in 1995
She was just 21 years old, newly graduated from Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon.
Later she got a paid job in the Office of Legislative Affairs.
This got her close to President Clinton, she often hand-delivered letters to the Oval Office.

4. The Start of an “Affair”
The two got to know each other better at an unofficial birthday gathering for Clinton
Other White House staffers soon noticed Lewinsky’s inappropriate behavior
April 1996, Deputy White House Chief of Staff, Evelyn Lieberman, transferred Lewinsky to work at the Pentagon as an assistant for Ken Bacon (Pentagon Spokesperson)

5. Continued At the pentagon
While working at the Pentagon, Lewinsky begins telling a co-worker, Linda Tripp, about her relationship with the president – lots of details, including the blue dress.
Linda eventually started to record these conversations (the ones over the phone).
Monica visited the Oval Office 37 times after her transfer (From April 1996 to December 1997)
She logged in as coming to visit the President’s secretary, Betty Currie.

6. Paula jones v. William Clinton
Paula Jones - Former Arkansas State Clerk
Filed a suit against Bill Clinton for sexually harassing her and defaming her when she went public with the accusations
This was from when he was governor of Arkansas.
The case ended up going to the Supreme Court.
While working on Paula’s case, prosecutor Kenneth Starr came across the newest presidential scandal…

7. The Story Breaks
Kenneth Starr, Jones’ lawyer, subpoenas Lewinsky to testify in Jones’ sexual harassment case.
Lewinsky, allegedly under the influence of Clinton, denied ever having an inappropriate relationship with him.
5 days later, Linda Tripp contacts Kenneth Starr to tell him about the recorded conversations.
Lewinsky was taken by FBI agents and U.S. attorneys to a hotel room where she was questioned about her relationship with Clinton.
She was even offered immunity if she cooperated.
A few days later, the story broke to the public.

8. The Blue Dress
The trial drags on for several months, in which Lewinsky’s lawyers and Starr go back and forth on an immunity agreement for Lewinsky.
Finally, in July 1998, Starr agrees to immunity for Lewinsky and her parents, and Lewinsky hands over a blue dress said to contain physical evidence of a sexual relationship with President Bill Clinton.
The dress goes to the FBI forensics laboratory for testing.
Clinton Denies Allegations:
Monica Lewinsky on the Blue Dress (2:17)

9. Owning Up
August 6th – Lewinsky appears before the grand jury to testify
August 17th – President Bill Clinton becomes the first sitting president to testify before a grand jury investigating his conduct.
After the questioning at the White House is finished, Clinton goes on national TV to admit he had an inappropriate relationship with Monica Lewinsky.
President Clinton Admits Affair (4:13)

10. Trial for Impeachment
Bill Clinton was taken to court for impeachment on 11 grounds
Including: perjury, obstruction of justice, witness-tampering and abuse of power
The House of Representatives voted to impeach Clinton on the counts of perjury to a grand jury and obstruction of justice.
However, the Senate vote needed a 2/3 majority to impeach him but it didn't even come close – so President Clinton was ultimately acquitted.
Congress hadn't seen a case like this since President Andrew Johnson (impeached in 1868)

11. The After Effects: Social Media and Shame
In 2015, 17 years after the trial, Monica Lewinsky talks about the lasting effects of the Lewinsky-Clinton Scandal on her life,
and about the public and social media spotlight that contributed to her world-wide public humiliation.
This issue of cyberbullying and public shaming is a worsening problem today.
TED: The Price of Shame

12. Cyberbullying Discussion Questions
Why can cyberbullying and online harassment be so damaging to the victim?
Why is online humiliation worse than shaming in person? What is the effect of social medial in this?
Why does Monica Lewinsky say, “shame cannot survive empathy”? Do you agree?

13. The Forensics of the Blue Dress
Activity:
Examine the FBI records about the infamous blue dress, and answer the questions on the PCR/Lewinsky-Clinton handout. Turn this in for a grade.
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