Lewinsky says feelings for Clinton 'mixed'

Former intern reveals little new in deposition.

Los Angeles Times

WASHINGTON -- The Monica Lewinsky who testified in a deposition for House Republican managers this week not only provided them no new substantial evidence against President Clinton but also carefully hedged her words about key elements of the impeachment case, fenced with them over terminology and made clear that, in some ways, she still thinks highly of the president. A transcript of her four-hour deposition, obtained Thursday by the Los Angeles Times, indicates she was well-prepared for the session and almost seemed to enjoy the verbal jousting. As Rep. Ed Bryant, R-Tenn., the House prosecutor who conducted the questioning, honed in on important aspects of the case, she sometimes would dismiss his queries by referring him back to her grand jury testimony from last year or would express surprise that she no longer could recall details of events that have become central to the managers' efforts to convict Clinton of perjury and obstruction of justice and remove him office. Lewinsky's transcript, along with the transcripts of similar sessions conducted with witnesses Vernon Jordan and Sidney Blumenthal, make clear that the prosecutors managed to coax some details and interesting rhetorical exchanges from the three but fell far short of the kind of bombshell needed to deflect the impeachment process from an expected acquittal vote next week. At the same time, the witnesses didn't back away from previous accounts that are troublesome for Clinton or other figures in the case. Lewinsky, in a deposition that was the 23rd time she has been questioned under oath since the Clinton sex scandal erupted last year, again suggested Jordan, the Washington lawyer who is one of Clinton's closest friends, seemed to know she and the president had an intimate relationship at a time when he, Jordan, was trying to find her a job in New York. At one point, she said, Jordan told her, "Your problem is, and don't deny it, you're in love with him." Jordan has denied telling her such a thing, but Lewinsky recalled it well during the deposition at the Mayflower Hotel, surrounded by two managers, a phalanx of White House attorneys, a group of U.S. senators and her own attorneys. "Prosecutors consider this exchange, along with numerous others, as evidence Clinton was trying to obstruct justice -- using his friends to maintain the silence and loyalty of a witness who could deliver damaging testimony against him in the Paula Corbin Jones lawsuit, if she chose to do so. Under repeated prodding by Bryant, Lewinsky made clear she didn't have to be enticed to conceal their illicit relationship because she understood the ground rules of it. She also acknowledged her regard for Clinton hasn't completely soured, despite everything. "I have mixed feelings," she said. Pressed about those emotions, she turned Bryant away with this riposte: "I think what you need to know is that my grand jury testimony is truthful irrespective of whatever those mixed feelings are in my testimony today." Later, Bryant came back to the question. "I assume you think he's a very intelligent man?" Bryant asked. "I think he's an intelligent president." With that answer the crowded presidential suite at the luxury hotel erupted into laughter and Bryant -- realizing he wouldn't be getting new incriminating evidence from this star witness to bolster his sagging case -- joked he hoped her strong defense of Clinton didn't get out to the public. "OK, thank goodness this is confidential," he said in an aside to the White House attorneys. "Otherwise, that might be the quote of the day."

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