Bill Clinton was elected the 42nd President of the United States in 1992. He assumed office on January 20, 1993.
Almost from the outset, he was dogged by accusations, allegations and purported scandals, notably the Whitewater matter.
At the mid-term congressional elections in 1994, the Democratic Party lost control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate for the first time since the early 1950s.
By the end of 1995, the Executive and Congressional arms of government were locked in combat over an ambitious political agenda put forward by the Republican Speaker, Newt Gingrich.
As Christmas 1995 approached the Federal Government was forced to partially shut down because passage of the Budget was deadlocked. It was during this shutdown that Clinton first met Monica Lewinsky.
Clinton defeated the congressional Republicans and coasted to re-election in November 1996 against Senator Bob Dole.
As his second term progressed Clinton was pursued more vigorously by Paula Jones, an Arkansas woman who claimed she was sexually harassed by Clinton when he was the State’s Governor.
A legal manoeuvre by Jones in late 1997 led to Clinton making a legal deposition in which he denied a relationship with Lewinsky.
Publication of the Lewinsky matter in January 1998 created uproar. Clinton famously denied having sexual relations “with that woman”.
The Independent Counsel, Kenneth Starr, launched an investigation which led to a report recommending impeachment of the President.
The House of Representative Judiciary Committee conducted public hearings and voted to recommend impeachment to the full House.
The House voted for two articles of impeachment in December 1998 and Clinton went on trial in the Senate in January 1999.
Clinton was acquitted by the Senate in February 1999 and continued to serve as President until his term concluded on January 20, 2001.
- The Clinton Impeachment – a detailed section of this website containing a comprehensive chronology of events and key documents.
