Monica Lewinsky's Videotaped Testimony Released in Senate Impeachment Trial

Monica Lewinsky's emotive and often irreverent testimony in the Senate impeachment trial of President Clinton is now available to the nation through a series of videotaped depositions. As the House managers employ these depositions in a final bid to secure conviction, the focus has turned to the young woman at the center of the scandal. The televised testimony, which will be available to the public, suggests that the prosecution's case is not as strong as hoped, and that the votes required for conviction are unlikely.

Key Takeaways:

• Monica Lewinsky's testimony, while emotive and sometimes humorous, provided little new information to House managers, who are struggling to build a strong case against President Clinton.
• The testimony, which was given under the threat of prison, largely hewed to the account she gave in her grand jury testimony.
• The videotaped depositions of Vernon E. Jordan Jr. and Sidney Blumenthal, two confidants of the President, were also released, offering no significant revelations to the case.
• Jordan testified that he helped Lewinsky because he was asked to do so by President Clinton's secretary, Betty Currie.
• Blumenthal admitted to having a closed-door conversation with the President about the Lewinsky scandal, but insisted that he never told anyone about it.
• The transcripts and videotapes do not include the President's apology relayed to Lewinsky by his lawyer, Nicole Seligman.
• Lewinsky expressed frustration with Clinton as a man and described her motivations as "mixed feelings."
• She agreed with Rep. Ed Bryant's characterization that many of her actions were motivated by a desire to spend time with Clinton as a man, not as President.
• Lewinsky recounted the conversations she had with Clinton, including a phone call where they discussed old cover stories to conceal their affair.
• In a tense moment, Rep. Michael DeWine warned Lewinsky that her microphone was picking up her whispered comments to her lawyer.

Statistics:

• The Senate will deliberate for up to three days after the vote on removing President Clinton from office.
• The President's future hangs in the balance as the Senate deliberates on his impeachment.
• The release of the videotaped depositions provides the public with a unique insight into the impeachment process.
• The participation of the House managers and the White House in the trial has been extensive, with a range of witnesses and documents presented.