Bill Clinton's Legal Career: A Possibility?

Bill Clinton, the 42nd president of the United States, had a law degree from Yale and even taught law at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. However, his career in law was interrupted when he entered politics, running for a seat in the US House of Representatives in 1974. Although he lost this race, Clinton went on to serve as governor of Arkansas and later as president. During his presidency, Clinton faced a sexual harassment lawsuit and was impeached by the US House of Representatives on charges of lying under oath and obstruction of justice. As a result of the Monica Lewinsky scandal, Clinton was disbarred and fined, and he resigned from the bar of the US Supreme Court, raising questions about his ability to practice law.

Bill Clinton's impeachment

Bill Clinton, the 42nd president of the United States, was impeached by the United States House of Representatives on December 19, 1998. The impeachment came after a formal House inquiry, which had been launched on October 8, 1998, and was catalysed by the Starr Report—a September 1998 report prepared by Ken Starr, Independent Counsel, for the House Judiciary Committee. The report outlined eleven possible grounds for Clinton's impeachment, including perjury, obstruction of justice, witness tampering, and abuse of power, and provided explicit details of the sexual relationship between Clinton and Monica Lewinsky, a White House intern.

The specific charges against Clinton were lying under oath and obstruction of justice. Two other articles had been considered but were rejected by the House vote. The charges for which Clinton was impeached stemmed from a sexual harassment lawsuit filed against him by Paula Jones, which alleged an encounter that took place in Arkansas before he was elected president. During pre-trial discovery in the lawsuit, Clinton gave testimony denying that he had engaged in a sexual relationship with Lewinsky.

In January 1998, Clinton denied having a "sexual relationship", "sexual affair", or "sexual relations" with Lewinsky. His lawyer, Robert S. Bennett, stated that Lewinsky's affidavit showed there was no sex between Clinton and Lewinsky. However, Lewinsky was secretly recorded by the FBI discussing her relationship with Clinton, and she later testified before a grand jury that she and Clinton had had a sexual relationship. Clinton subsequently admitted to lying under oath.

The Senate trial began in early 1999, with Chief Justice William Rehnquist presiding. On February 12, Clinton was acquitted on both counts as neither received the necessary two-thirds majority vote of the senators present for conviction and removal from office. Clinton remained in office for the remainder of his second term.

The Lewinsky scandal

While serving as the 42nd President of the United States, Bill Clinton became the second president in history to be impeached by the House of Representatives, following a scandal involving a White House intern named Monica Lewinsky.

The scandal became public knowledge in 1998 when a dress belonging to Lewinsky, stained with Clinton's semen, was revealed. This provided definitive proof of the sexual nature of their relationship. The revelation caused a media frenzy and led to a federal investigation. Clinton initially denied the allegations but eventually admitted to having an "improper physical relationship" with Lewinsky.

The scandal had significant political and legal consequences for Clinton. He was impeached by the House of Representatives on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice, becoming only the second president in US history to face impeachment. The Senate later acquitted him of these charges, allowing him to remain in office. However, he did lose his law license as a result of the scandal and a subsequent sexual harassment lawsuit filed by Paula Jones, a former Arkansas state employee.

The Starr Report

The report included a timeline of Clinton's sexual encounters with Monica Lewinsky, a White House intern. It alleged that Clinton lied under oath during a sworn deposition on January 17, 1998, while he was a defendant in a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by Paula Jones. Clinton denied having a sexual relationship with Lewinsky, but later admitted that it was "wrong" and "not appropriate". The Starr Report also presented evidence of witness tampering and obstruction of justice, claiming that Clinton attempted to influence the testimony of grand jury witnesses and encouraged Lewinsky to file a false affidavit.

One of the most controversial aspects of the Starr Report was its inclusion of explicit and graphic sexual details. Starr defended the inclusion of these details as crucial to evaluating the testimony, credibility of witnesses, and reliability of other evidence. However, he faced criticism for allegedly leaking portions of the report to the press and using the scandal as a political manoeuvre. It was also questioned whether Starr had the legal authority to inquire about Clinton's sexual relationship with Lewinsky, as the initial focus of the investigation was the Whitewater controversy and Jones' sexual harassment claim.

The report concluded with a section titled "Grounds," where Starr provided supporting evidence for eleven possible grounds for Clinton's impeachment. This included physical evidence, such as DNA test results matching Clinton's blood sample to a semen stain on a dress owned by Lewinsky. Starr argued that Clinton abused his power by denying the relationship, using executive privilege, and attempting to keep the relationship from becoming public knowledge. The impeachment charges against Clinton specifically included lying under oath and obstruction of justice.

Clinton's resignation from the Supreme Court bar

On November 9, 2001, former US President Bill Clinton resigned from the Supreme Court bar, following the Monica Lewinsky scandal. Clinton was impeached by the House of Representatives as a result of statements made regarding the Lewinsky affair, but the Senate did not remove him from office after a trial in 1999.

Clinton's lawyer, David Kendall, informed the court's clerk of the decision to resign from the Supreme Court bar. Kendall told the clerk, William Suter, that Clinton had been a member in good standing of the Arkansas bar for over 25 years and had never faced any professional discipline. However, on January 19, 1999, Clinton entered into an agreement with the Arkansas Supreme Court Committee on Professional Conduct, surrendering his Arkansas law license.

The Monica Lewinsky scandal involved Clinton's denial of a sexual relationship with White House intern Monica Lewinsky. This led to charges of perjury and obstruction of justice, resulting in his impeachment. Clinton later admitted that the relationship was "wrong" and "not appropriate". He faced various legal consequences, including a $25,000 fine, a five-year suspension of his Arkansas law license, and civil penalties.

Clinton's law career before politics

Bill Clinton's career in law began after he graduated from Yale Law School in 1973. He then joined the faculty of the University of Arkansas School of Law, where he taught law until 1976. In 1974, Clinton ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. However, in 1975, he married Hillary Rodham, a fellow Yale Law graduate and attorney, who would go on to play an active role in his political career.

The following year, Clinton was elected attorney general of Arkansas, and in 1978, he became the state's governor, serving five terms and becoming the youngest governor the country had seen in 40 years. During his tenure as governor, Clinton favoured capital punishment and welfare reforms that pushed recipients into the workforce. He also promoted affirmative action, appointing more African Americans to state boards, commissions, and agency posts than all of his predecessors combined.

Clinton's time as governor of Arkansas helped him cultivate a national profile, and he went on to serve as chairman of the National Governors Association in 1986 and 1987, speaking on behalf of the nation's governors. He also guided the Democratic Leadership Council, a group of moderate Democrats and business people working to influence national policies. Clinton's persuasive oratorical skills and centrist platform, which emphasised opportunity, jobs, and law and order, helped unify the party.

Frequently asked questions