Monica Lewinsky

Guide Note:

Former White House intern Monica Lewinsky admitted to engaging in sexual activity with former president Bill Clinton in the Oval Office. Clinton's initial denials about their relationship led directly to his impeachment by the U.S. House of Representatives.

Fast Facts:

1. Born: July 23, 1973
2. Birthplace: San Francisco, California
3. Raised: Los Angeles, California
4. Education: Santa Monica College; Lewis & Clark College
5. Master's: London School of Economics

Lewinsky initially began her employment as a White House intern in July of 1995. In November of that year, after accepting a paid position at the White House, the 22-year old former intern engaged in her first sexual encounter with President Bill Clinton after an office birthday party. Over the next six months, according to the report prepared by Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr, Lewinsky and the President met secretly on nine separate occasions, participating in various forms of sexual activity, but never intercourse.

In April of 1996, due to the concerns of her immediate superiors that she was becoming too close to Clinton, Lewinsky was transferred from the White House to the Pentagon, where she began confiding in co-worker Linda Tripp about her affair. Tripp secretly recorded several of the conversations. After Lewinsky lied under oath before the Starr Commission in 1998 about a possible sexual relationship with the President, and after the former intern attempted to have Tripp do the same, Tripp turned the tapes over to Starr. As a result, Starr broadened his ongoing investigation into perjury allegations against the President concerning the Paula Jones sexual harrassment case, and both Lewinsky and the President were investigated for perjury.

After repeatedly denying the relationship before the Commission and on nationwide television, Clinton admitted his involvement. Clinton was impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives, the first Chief Executive to be impeached since Andrew Johnson. However, the Senate failed to gather the necessary votes to convict and remove Clinton from office.

After the scandal, Lewinsky began a handbag company, and then went on to enroll in the London School of Economics, where she received her Master's in Social Psychology in 2005.