Clinton impeached over wrong sex scandal – former GOP leader
Monica Lewinsky was not “the real problem,” Newt Gingrich says
Former US President Bill Clinton should not have been impeached for his affair with Monica Lewinsky, but for lying in an earlier sexual harassment case, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has said.
Gingrich led the 1998 impeachment of Clinton, in which ‘Slick Willy’ was charged with – and acquitted of – lying under oath and obstruction of justice. The charges centered on Clinton claiming that he “did not have sexual relations with” White House intern Monica Lewinsky, which he did.
Speaking to New York Post columnist Miranda Devine on Tuesday, Gingrich said he now considers the decision to impeach Clinton over the Lewinsky affair to be “a mistake.”
“I think it was a mistake because the real problem wasn’t Lewinsky,” he said. “The real problem was he had committed perjury in a case involving sexual harassment while he was governor. In fact, he was stripped of his law license in Arkansas after he left the presidency, and for five years couldn’t practice because he clearly committed a felony.”
In 1999, a federal judge found that Clinton committed perjury in a civil case brought by Paula Jones, an Arkansas government employee who accused Clinton of exposing himself to her while he was governor of the state in 1991. Clinton was not criminally convicted of perjury, but he was held in contempt of court and stripped of his law license.
The focus of the impeachment on Clinton’s sex life, rather than his “felonies… trivialized” the process, Gingrich told Devine.
Ultimately, Clinton saw out the end of his second term, and Gingrich was forced to resign after the Republican Party lost seats in the 1998 midterm elections. Gingrich later admitted that he was having an affair with a Congressional staffer during the impeachment saga.
Earlier this month, the New York Times interviewed dozens of lawmakers and staffers, concluding that sexual harassment “is still rampant among Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill and often goes unaddressed.” Two prominent lawmakers – Representatives Eric Swalwell and Tony Gonzalez – have resigned this year over inappropriate relationships with staffers.
15 thoughts on “Clinton impeached over wrong sex scandal – former GOP leader”
Newt Gingrich has been pushing this agenda for a while now.
Basically speaking to New York Post columnist Miranda Devine on Tuesday, Gingrich said he now considers the decision to impeach Clinton over the Lewinsky. What matters is whether anything changes because of it.
Considering the focus of the impeachment on Clinton’s sex life, rather than his “felonies… trivialized” the process, Gingrich told Devine, it raises some real questions about what happens next.
The detail about former US President Bill Clinton should not have been impeached for his affair with Monica Lewinsky, but for lying in an earlier sexual harassment case, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has said is something people should sit with.
When you look at gingrich led the 1998 impeachment of Clinton, in which ‘Slick Willy’ was charged with – and acquitted of – lying under oath and obstruction of justice, the implications are hard to ignore.
Reading that speaking to New York Post columnist Miranda Devine on Tuesday, Gingrich said he now considers the decision to impeach Clinton over the Lewinsky — hard to argue with the logic there.
When you look at the focus of the impeachment on Clinton’s sex life, rather than his “felonies… trivialized” the process, Gingrich told Devine, the implications are hard to ignore.
If gingrich led the 1998 impeachment of Clinton, in which ‘Slick Willy’ was charged with – and acquitted of – lying under oath and obstruction of justice, then the bigger picture starts to look very different.
Former US President Bill Clinton should not have been impeached for his affair with Monica Lewinsky, but for lying in an earlier sexual harassment case, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has said. Meanwhile gingrich led the 1998 impeachment of Clinton, in which ‘Slick Willy’ was charged with – and acquitted of – lying under oath and obstruction of justice.
Think about it: gingrich led the 1998 impeachment of Clinton, in which ‘Slick Willy’ was charged with – and acquitted of – lying under oath and obstruction of justice. That speaks volumes.
Newt Gingrich has been pushing this agenda for a while now.
Basically speaking to New York Post columnist Miranda Devine on Tuesday, Gingrich said he now considers the decision to impeach Clinton over the Lewinsky. What matters is whether anything changes because of it.
So the bottom line is “I think it was a mistake because the real problem wasn’t Lewinsky,” he said. Wonder how this will land.
Considering the focus of the impeachment on Clinton’s sex life, rather than his “felonies… trivialized” the process, Gingrich told Devine, it raises some real questions about what happens next.
The detail about former US President Bill Clinton should not have been impeached for his affair with Monica Lewinsky, but for lying in an earlier sexual harassment case, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has said is something people should sit with.
Reading that “I think it was a mistake because the real problem wasn’t Lewinsky,” he said — hard to argue with the logic there.
Newt Gingrich is in a tough spot here, curious how they navigate it.
When you look at gingrich led the 1998 impeachment of Clinton, in which ‘Slick Willy’ was charged with – and acquitted of – lying under oath and obstruction of justice, the implications are hard to ignore.
Still waiting to hear what Monica Lewinsky actually plans to do about it.
Reading that speaking to New York Post columnist Miranda Devine on Tuesday, Gingrich said he now considers the decision to impeach Clinton over the Lewinsky — hard to argue with the logic there.
When you look at “I think it was a mistake because the real problem wasn’t Lewinsky,” he said, the implications are hard to ignore.
When you look at the focus of the impeachment on Clinton’s sex life, rather than his “felonies… trivialized” the process, Gingrich told Devine, the implications are hard to ignore.
If gingrich led the 1998 impeachment of Clinton, in which ‘Slick Willy’ was charged with – and acquitted of – lying under oath and obstruction of justice, then the bigger picture starts to look very different.
Former US President Bill Clinton should not have been impeached for his affair with Monica Lewinsky, but for lying in an earlier sexual harassment case, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has said. Meanwhile gingrich led the 1998 impeachment of Clinton, in which ‘Slick Willy’ was charged with – and acquitted of – lying under oath and obstruction of justice.
Think about it: gingrich led the 1998 impeachment of Clinton, in which ‘Slick Willy’ was charged with – and acquitted of – lying under oath and obstruction of justice. That speaks volumes.