William Ginsburg, Monica's Lewinsky's attorney, surrounded by the press. (AP)

This is an archive of Washington Post news and feature stories from January 1998 about the accusations against President Clinton. Links to coverage from other months are on the News Archive page.

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From Saturday, January 31

Lewinsky Attorney Disputes Her Claims
Monica S. Lewinsky's lawyer contradicted several key details attributed to her taped story of an affair with President Clinton, suggesting she sometimes exaggerates or oversells. Yet he described his client as "totally reliable."

Republicans End Silence on Allegations
GOP leaders were quiet on the allegations surrounding Lewinsky and Clinton – until Friday, when they unleashed a string of attacks on White House ethics.

Mysterious Ties Between Jones, Lewinsky
Odd circumstances link Paula Jones's sexual harassment suit and the Lewinsky scandal. They raise a question: Has there been collusion between Jones's advocates and those with knowledge of Lewinsky's claims?

Experts: Ruling Makes Starr's Job Tougher
When a judge threw evidence on Lewinsky out of the Jones harassment suit, she complicated – but didn't undermine – independent counsel Kenneth W. Starr's efforts to build a case that the president encouraged the ex-intern to lie.

N.Y. Job Offer Coincides With Lewinsky Affidavit
The intersection of Lewinsky's New York job search and her struggle to avoid testifying in the Jones sexual harassment lawsuit is striking.

White House Sets Up Damage Control Office
The Democratic Party is establishing an office to help Clinton loyalists counter the negative information stemming from the Lewinsky controversy.

DNC Hails Increase in Fund-Raising
Now that the shock of the Lewinsky allegations has worn off, faithful Democrats are happy to donate cash to the party, officials say.

A Lesson Crafted by Controversy
Schoolchildren are trying to absorb a complex story loaded with questions about law, morality, politics and sex.

From the Heartland: Enough, Already
As Washington obsesses about the allegations surrounding the president, people in Peoria, Ill., are focusing on more down-to-earth concerns.

Style Showcase:

Female Voters Stand by Their Man
The president has a reputation as a ladies' man, but women voters keep looking the other way.

Lewinsky Evidence Out of Jones Case
A federal judge excluded all evidence relating to former White House aide Monica S. Lewinsky from the Paula Jones sexual harassment lawsuit. Independent counsel Kenneth W. Starr complained Jones's lawyers were hindering his criminal probe.

Immunity Talks Resume
Lewinsky's attorneys met with Starr for the first time in more than a week, but it was unclear whether they made any progress toward an agreement to grant her immunity.

Silence: The White House Strategy
The initial shock of the Lewinsky allegations is wearing off, and White House advisers think they can keep mum indefinitely on the president's relationship with the former intern.

Two Views of Starr Emerge
When he started work as the Whitewater independent counsel in 1994, Starr knew exactly what he didn’t want: a seemingly endless investigation. With the latest twist of his probe, he is entangled in an extraordinary public feud with the White House.

The Lewinsky Team's Mr. Inside
Nathaniel Speights, Lewinsky's other lawyer, has a solid reputation but little experience in maneuvering for a client immersed in a national scandal.

Allegations Complicate the Picture in Congress
Some members of Congress agree that the questions hanging over President Clinton’s head, unless resolved swiftly, are likely to become a drag on his agenda.

Women's Groups in Awkward Position on Allegations
Feminist groups have agonized over their responses to the burgeoning scandal enveloping the president, whom many consider to be among the most supportive politicians in the history of the women’s rights movement.

Style Showcase:

Has the Media Gone Too Far?
Since the Lewinsky story broke, the media have been dishing up juicy details about her private life. How much information is too much?

Web Guide for Scandalmongers, Part II
The Lewinsky-Clinton story continues to develop at a mind-melting pace, especially on the Internet. The Post offers another installment if its guide to Web sites to watch.

Scandal Jokes Testing the Limits
The Internet is the main conduit of all the unprintable Clinton sex jokes. But late-night television is a close second.

Conservatives Conspire – to Gloat
At the annual gathering of the Conservative Political Action Conference, Republicans were savoring Hillary Rodham Clinton's pronouncement that the Lewinsky scandal was part of a "vast right-wing conspiracy."

Online Extra:

Reno's Request to Expand Starr Investigation
Text of Attorney General Janet Reno's Jan. 16 petition to the three-judge panel that oversees independent counsel investigations, requesting that Starr be allowed to investigate allegations related to Monica Lewinsky. Released Jan. 29.

Campus Coverage

Sources: Clinton, Ex-Intern Met
After she had been ordered to describe under oath the nature of her relationship with President Clinton, former aide Monica Lewinsky met privately with the president at the White House, sources said.

Willey: The Other Woman in the Case
Until the fateful afternoon of Nov. 29, 1993, Kathleen Willey, the wife of a Richmond lawyer, hardly seemed capable of imperiling a presidency.

Lewinsky's Crush Well-Known
In the effort to determine if Monica Lewinsky had an affair with the president, there is a stumbling block: Some of the sexual relationships she has boasted of actually happened.

Clinton Takes Agenda on the Road
In an attempt to shift attention from the scandal that grips his presidency, President Clinton went to the heartland to promote his State of the Union agenda of reforming Social Security and improving schools.

A Champaign Reception
In the upbeat college town of Champaign, Ill., a crowd of 20,000 showed up to hear President Clinton speak about his initiatives for the year, not about the scandal that is engulfing him.

Supreme Court Opened Way to Crisis
The nation's highest court unanimously voted to allow Paula Jones to proceed with her lawsuit against President Clinton, but justices' statements reveal they were unaware of the potential consequences.

Morris Comments Infuriate White House
Shamed political guru Dick Morris, who was dismissed from President Clinton's reelection team after his relationship with a prostitute became public, speculated on a radio show that a chilly marriage might explain some questionable behavior by the president.

Clinton Friend Referred Lewinsky to White House
How did Monica Lewinsky wind up at the White House? Walter Kaye, a Democratic donor who is close to the first lady, played a part in her hiring.

How the Grand Jury Process Works
Independent counsel Kenneth W. Starr has two grand juries looking into the Clinton's activities. Here's how they operate.

Style Showcase:

Mickey Kantor: A Confidant for Every Crisis
Lawyer Mickey Kantor, who played a key role in rescuing President Clinton's 1992 campaign, is back in Washington to help his old friend. He's a sharp strategist – and extremely loyal.

Hollywood Friend Comes Back Into the Picture
Hollywood producer Harry Thomason has been keeping a low profile since his role in the 1992 travel office scandal. Now he's back at Crisis Central.

Satire: A Scandal Primer
Flummoxed by the Lewinsky scandal? A Style writer sorts it all out.

For AP, Report Collides With Facts
On Wednesday, the Associated Press moved a bulletin that the president's plane had crashed. Minutes later, the story was killed.

From Wednesday, January 28

Hillary Clinton Defends Husband
The first lady made a vigorous defense of President Clinton, declaring him the victim of a "politically motivated" prosecutor allied with a "vast right-wing conspiracy."

Lewinsky, Starr Closer to Deal
Prosecutors made progress on getting Monica Lewinsky to provide information on her alleged affair with President Clinton. Meanwhile, Clinton agreed to turn over his deposition in the Paula Jones case.

In the Capital, a Peculiar Atmosphere
The atmosphere surrounding Tuesday's State of the Union address was anything but normal, but the speech did provide a chance for the nation's capital to get back to business as usual – if only temporarily.

Starr to Probe Lewinsky Job Assistance
Independent counsel Kenneth Starr is trying to resolve a crucial question: Was the help Monica Lewinsky received in finding a new job an attempt to silence a witness – or just an odd string of coincidences?

Conspiracy or Not, Clintons Have Enemies
From Vince Foster conspiracy theorists to evangelist Jerry Falwell, the Clintons have been under siege by a range of conservative critics.

Lewinsky's Former Teacher Discloses Affair
Monica Lewinsky's former high school drama instructor said yesterday that he had a long-running affair with her that began in 1992 during her college years in Portland, Ore., and continued until last year.

Jordan Was Justification to Widen Probe
Most of the evidence presented to the Justice Department on Jan. 15 by Whitewater independent counsel Kenneth W. Starr in seeking to expand his inquiry focused on the president's close friend and adviser, Vernon E. Jordan Jr., rather than President Clinton, according to officials.

Style Showcase:

Tripp Sought Book Deal on Clinton Administration
Before Linda Tripp secretly taped her conversations with Monica Lewinsky, she tried to sell a book about the Clinton White House for as much as $500,000, a publisher said.

Dallas Morning News: Never Mind
The Dallas Morning News made national news by reporting that investigators had spoken with a Secret Service agent who would testify that he saw President Clinton and Monica Lewinsky in a compromising situation. Hours later, the paper issued a retraction.

The Verdict on Bob Bennett
Detractors argue that missteps by Clinton lawyer Robert S. Bennett have turned the Paula Jones case into a crippling distraction, leading to allegations of an affair with Monica Lewinsky.

From Tuesday, January 27

Hillary Firmly Defends Husband
Hillary Clinton today blamed the sex scandal surrounding her husband on a mean-spirited right-wing political agenda.

Clinton Forcefully Denies Affair
President Clinton denied, in far more forceful terms than before, that he had a sexual relationship with Monica Lewinsky and coached her to lie about it.

Lewinsky Gives Starr Detailed Offer
Monica Lewinsky's lawyer said he has given independent counsel Kenneth W. Starr a detailed account of what Lewinsky's testimony would be if she is granted immunity.

Social Security: State of the Union Opener
At a moment of maximum political peril, President Clinton plans to open a national debate on Social Security. State of the Union Special Report

Uneasiness Among Fans in Arkansas
An aura of uneasiness has settled over Little Rock, but hard-core Clinton supporters were still cautioning against a rush to judgment.

Gore Rallying Hill Support for Clinton
The White House is making an intense, last-minute effort to build enthusiasm among demoralized congressional Democrats.

Subpoenas Could Put Secret Service in Unprecedented Bind
Never before have agents been required to testify about "material facts" in a criminal probe about the president.

First Lady, Fourth-Graders Share Values
Hillary Rodham Clinton dropped in Monday on an after-school reading program in Harlem, where people encouraged her to stand by her man.

For Some, Scandal Breeds Success
Allegations of sexual and legal impropriety are good news for the media business.

Scandal Prompts European Concerns
European commentators expressed concern that U.S. leadership could falter as a result of the White House sex scandal.

Style Showcase:

Allegation Inundation
The almost blinding pace of coverage of alleged scandalous behavior in the White House has all but shattered traditional media standards.

Life With Father
It is the thought of 17-year-old Chelsea that elevates this scandal from dirty farce to a painful, real-life ordeal.

First Friend
Vernon E. Jordan Jr. is, by all accounts, not only a master fixer but also President Clinton's closest confidant.

Department of Defenses
Gene Weingarten offers satirical suggestions for President Clinton's State of the Union address.

From Monday, January 26

Analysis: A Scandal for Coarser, Faster-Paced '90s
No crisis has ever unfolded like this before, with instantaneous reporting, commingling of fact, rumor and opinion, and intense speculation long before the facts have been established.

Clinton Assessing Damage
President Clinton is turning to pollsters and other advisers to help him decide how to deal with the Monica Lewinsky controversy.

Few Americans Deeply Troubled by Allegations
President Clinton's approval rating remains high. But 63 percent of Americans polled say he should resign if he lied. Poll Highlights.

Starr Seeks Witness to Confirm Allegations
Investigators working for independent counsel Kenneth W. Starr searched for evidence that President Clinton had a sexual relationship with Monica Lewinsky.

Impeachment Provision in Counsel Law Could Become Crucial
A Watergate-era law requires independent counsels to turn over to the House any "substantial and credible information ... that may constitute grounds for impeachment."

Uncertain Congress Prepares to Reconvene
Clinton's proposals to expand child care, Medicare and many other programs could be some of the casualties of the sex scandal.

Clintons Find Solace, Support at Church
President Clinton and first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton were swept into a warm tide of smiles and hugs at church Sunday morning.

President's Supporters on Hill Offering Mostly Tepid Statements
Even President Clinton's staunchest supporters on Capitol Hill have been reluctant to defend him against sex and perjury allegations.

Dream Case Is a Burden, Lawyer Finds
Linda R. Tripp's attorney, James Moody, sounds almost irked by new-found notoriety.

Style Showcase:

They've Had Enough
The scandal is less than a week old, but already a quiet disgust is spreading across the land.

The Old Clinton Gang's Not All There
Some of the veterans who engineered Bill Clinton's victory over George Bush in 1992 are returning like swallows to Capistrano. But not all.

The Tale that Wagged the Dog
We're in the middle of an eerie interplay between pulp fiction and pulp life, writes film critic Stephen Hunter.

TV Pundits, Tabloid Trend Are Unseemly Bedfellows
Post TV critic Tom Shales notes that the race appears to be about who can air the most outrageous charges against the president first, never mind if they have any substance or relevance.

Cleaning Up on the Dirt Beat
Post media critic Howard Kurtz writes that Newsweek's Michael Isikoff typifies the strange breed of journalistic investigator.

Washingtonpost.com Extra:

David Maraniss On "Levey Live"
Pulitzer Prize winning Post reporter and Clinton biographer David Maraniss answered washingtonpost.com users' questions on Monday, Jan. 26.

Aide, Clinton Were Close, Friends Told
President Clinton has acknowledged to friends that he became emotionally close to former intern Monica Lewinsky while she was working at the White House.

Analysis: A Politician Whose Past Is Prologue
President Clinton's enormous appetite for life fueled his extraordinary rise to power at the same time that it has threatened it.

Washington's Extraordinary Week
As the president relaxed in the private residence with first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton after giving his deposition for the Paula Jones lawsuit, the next storm was forming.

Lewinsky-Starr Talks Remain at Impasse
Negotiations between prosecutors and attorneys for Monica Lewinsky remained at an impasse Saturday as Lewinsky held out for full immunity from prosecution before agreeing to cooperate.

Clinton Under Pressure to Clear the Air
Key figures in both parties put increased pressure Saturday on President Clinton to resolve the legal and personal charges he faces.

On Tapes, Lewinsky Describes Alleged Trysts With President
In more than 20 hours of conversations with Linda R. Tripp, Monica Lewinsky described an 18-month involvement that included late-night trysts at the White House featuring oral sex. Excerpts.

In Linda Tripp's Career, Clues to Her Motivation
Linda R. Tripp's actions may have been the culmination of years of gradually increasing contempt for President Clinton, growing ties to conservative activists and desperation.

A Primer on an Esoteric Legal Process
An explanation of proffers, immunity and other legal jargon.

Style Showcase:

Political Troublespeak
Scandal has once again infected the city, and with it comes that peculiar local dialect, the ritualized vocabulary of political frenzy. Think "No Improper Relationship."

Monica's Mom
Marcia Lewis is a writer with a gift for purple prose, steely discipline and a brassy eagerness to promote her writing career through sexual innuendo about herself.

Taking the Fatherly Approach
While Washington insiders are predicting that California civil lawyer William H. Ginsburg could be chewed up by pit bull prosecutors, Ginsburg's colleagues say his client – Monica Lewinsky – is in good hands.

Feet of Clay, Wives of Iron
America has a long tradition of fighting first ladies, women who rise to fend off their husbands' critics in times of crisis.

Pentagon City Takes Notoriety in Stride
First Marv. Now Monica. Will the Ritz-Carlton and the mall next door join the pantheon that includes the Watergate and the Vista Hotel?

Washingtonpost.com Extras:

New Reports Complicate Negotiations
Monica Lewinsky's attorney says that if she was caught in an intimate encounter with President Clinton, that would make it more difficult for him to win her full immunity from prosecution.

Outside the White House, a Circus
Curious bicyclists, weekend strollers and out-of-town visitors were drawn to the White House gates on Sunday.

Ex-Intern Rejected Immunity Last Week
Federal investigators last week offered former White House aide Monica Lewinsky immunity from prosecution.

Literary Agent Was Behind Secret Tapes
Lucianne Goldberg, a literary agent, advised Linda Tripp to tape conversations with Monica Lewinsky.

Lewinsky: An Enigma With a Bad Crush
The woman at the center of the storm that threatens a presidency remains an enigma wrapped in conflicting images.

Lewinsky Lawyer Willing to Negotiate
Lewinsky's lawyer and independent counsel Kenneth W. Starr are engaged in a legal minuet with potentially immense implications.

Strategy Calls for GOP to Keep Quiet
The basic Republican strategy: Let President Clinton tie a noose around his neck and watch from the sidelines as the media yanks the rope.

Hillary Clinton in 'Full Battle Mode'
The first lady is determined that this latest round of allegations will not destroy his presidency.

With Time to Fill, Media Stretch Their Limits
In a nation of channel-surfers, the sex scandal is everywhere, hour after allegation-filled hour.

An Internship of Unusual Access
Former White House interns say the treatment Lewinsky says she received from Clinton's friends and aides is far from typical.

Washington Interns, in Shadow of Power
Relationships between powerful men and ambitious young women can be tricky.

Vernon Jordan, the Quicker Fixer-Upper
Vernon Jordan riding out of the muck of this latest White House scandal to restore our faith in humanity.

Allegations Bewilder, Titillate Worldwide
The news from Washington found its way to front pages and television screens around the world with nearly undiminished sizzle.

From Friday, January 23

Clinton's Advisers Clash on Response
Legal advisers disagree with political advisers who want the president to explain the Lewinski situation fully before the State of the Union address.

Judge Delays Lewinsky Deposition
A federal judge in Little Rock, Ark., has indefinitely postponed Lewinsky's deposition before Paula Jones's lawyers.

Vernon Jordan Stands by His Man
In many ways, adviser Vernon E. Jordan did a better job than Clinton himself at explaining the president's dealings with Lewinsky.

Gore, Under New Focus, Shows Support
Saying, "He is not only the president of the country, he is my friend," Vice President Gore told editors he believes President Clinton's side of the story.

Starr Appears on Solid Ground
Legal experts agree independent counsel Kenneth Starr had reason to investigate allegations that the president asked someone to lie under oath.

Flowers Feels Vindicated by Report
Gennifer Flowers sees parallels between her affair with then-Gov. Clinton and the allegations of his relationship with Lewinsky.

Summons Thrusts President's Gatekeeper Into View
The Oval Office's genteel gatekeeper for five years has been thrust a spotlight only a Washington scandal can shine.

Democrats Fear Losing Focus on Issues
Democrats in Congress and across the nation fear their party will lose momentum unless the president can quickly put these charges behind him.

Allegations Viewed Seriously Now
No longer just a matter of "Zippergate," people across the country said they were disturbed by allegations that the president tried to obstruct justice.

The Buzz Around Town
Not even news of the Unabomber pleading guilty could distract Washingtonians from all manner of salacious speculation about the president's "affairs."

Once-Trusted Aide at Heart of It All
Linda R. Tripp was once trusted with classified information. Now she is a recurring figure in several investigations on President Clinton.

White House Crises Wall Street Shudders
With few exceptions, analysts and economists said they believe all the titillating talk of scandal will have little immediate impact on the markets.

Defense Lawyers Taste Turmoil
Many of the District's defense lawyers love a national scandal, because it can thrust them into the spotlight.

A Net Guide to Scandal
A Style writer provides a hyperlinked guide to some of slanted speculation and unconfirmed gossip that's showing up first on the Internet.

When the Kids Ask Questions
Experts say children will pay attention to the aspects of the story that their parents talk about most.

Surveillance Devices Hot Again
Security industry experts are betting that Linda Tripp's clandestine taping of Monica Lewinsky will be a big boon for the audio surveillance business.

The Jokes on Clinton
Once again, the presidency is a punch line. Clinton has long been the butt of comics' jokes, but now they're coming with scorched-earth intensity.

From Thursday, January 22

Clinton Denies Alleged Affair
The president repeatedly denied an affair with Lewinsky but refused say whether they discussed how she should answer questions.

Allegations Could Lead to Impeachment, Prosecution
Legal experts say the allegations represent serious possible violations that, if supported, could lead to Clinton's removal from office and prosecution.

News Analysis: President Imperiled as Never Before
The allegations are the most perilous yet lodged against a president adroit at survival. But the stakes are also high for the independent counsel.

Linda R. Tripp and Monica Lewinsky: Kindred Spirits' Pentagon Bond
The women at the heart of the most serious allegations to beset Clinton are an unlikely pair, but they liked to talk and had plenty to say.

Newsweek's Melted Scoop
Newsweek's editors sought to explain why they failed to publish their exclusive story that stunned the nation.

Clinton: 'There Is No Improper Relationship'
Excerpts of Clinton's remarks on the allegations made in interviews with PBS, NPR and Roll Call.

From Wednesday, January 21

Clinton Accused of Urging Aide to Lie
The Post broke the story that independent counsel Kenneth W. Starr is looking into whether President Clinton urged the former intern to deny that they had an affair.

From June 25, 1997

Starr Probes Clinton Personal Life
The Post broke the story that Starr had been questioning Arkansas state troopers for several months about Clinton's personal life.

From 1994

Clinton Jordan, Fit to a Tee
Thousands of men and women consider themselves "Friends of Bill," but those close to Clinton and Vernon Jordan say their friendship is different.

From 1992

Clinton Concedes Marital 'Wrongdoing'
Excerpts from a television interview in which then-Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton denied allegations by Gennifer Flowers that the two had engaged in a 12-year affair.