Monica Lewinsky Biography

Monica Lewinsky is the woman whose sexual relationship with President Bill Clinton led to one of the biggest presidential scandals in history and Clinton's impeachment. Lewinsky was a recent college graduate when she took a position as an intern in the White House in 1995. The news broke in January of 1998 that Linda Tripp, a former co-worker, had Lewinsky on tape talking about an illicit affair between Lewinsky and President Clinton. Eventually Lewinsky was granted immunity from prosecution in exchange for detailed testimony of her liaisons with Clinton, who, in public and under oath, had denied any sexual relationship. When Clinton was forced to admit an "inappropriate relationship," the House of Representatives impeached him. Clinton was eventually acquitted after a trial by the U.S. Senate, but the scandal marred the last three years of his administration. Lewinsky told her side in the 1999 book Monica's Story (written by Andrew Morton). She later appeared as a spokesperson for the Jenny Craig weight loss program, hosted the TV reality show Mr. Personality for one season in 2003, and dabbled in a new career as a handbag designer.