10 Most Scandalous DC Affairs

1. Bill Clinton

Revelations that White House intern Monica Lewinsky had oral sex with Clinton in the Oval Office leading him to famously declare on TV on January 26, 1998, “I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky.” The scandal led to impeachment by the House for perjury, for lying about the affair under oath. He was acquitted in the Senate with 55 senators voting Not Guilty to 45 senators voting Guilty (falling 22 votes short of the two-thirds necessary to convict).

In 1994, Paula Jones brought a sexual harassment lawsuit against Clinton, claiming he made unwanted advances in 1991, which he denied. In April 1998, the case was initially dismissed by Judge Susan Webber Wright as lacking legal merit. But Jones appealed Webber Wright’s ruling, and her suit gained traction following Clinton’s admission to having an affair with Monica Lewinsky in August, 1998. In 1998, lawyers for Paula Jones released court documents contending a pattern of sexual harassment by Clinton when he was governor of Arkansas.

In 1992, Gennifer Flowers stated that she had a relationship with Clinton that began in 1980. Flowers at first denied that she had an affair with Clinton, but later changed her story. After Clinton at first denied having a relationship with Flowers on 60 Minutes, he later admitted that he had a sexual encounter with Flowers.

Also in 1998, Juanita Broaddrick alleged Clinton had raped her, though she did not remember the exact date, which may have been 1978. In another 1998 event, Elizabeth Ward Gracen recanted a six-year-old denial, and stated she had a one-night stand with Clinton in 1982. Gracen later apologized to Hillary Clinton.