Sources: Lewinsky Testifies She Had A Dozen Sexual Encounters
With Clinton
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Monica Lewinsky leaves the Prettyman Courthouse
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WASHINGTON (AllPolitics, Aug. 6) -- Two sources familiar with
Monica Lewinsky's testimony Thursday before a federal grand
jury told CNN that Lewinsky said she had more than a dozen
sexual encounters with the president over an 18-month period
beginning in November 1995.
The president has denied under oath that he had sexual
relations with the former White House intern.
The sources also said Lewinsky told grand jurors that she and
Clinton discussed various ways to conceal their sexual
relationship. But she denied that he ever directly asked her
to lie under oath in a legal proceeding.
The sources also said Lewinsky indicated she participated in
a certain kind of sex act that, in the president's mind, may
have stopped short of what he considered to be sexual
relations.
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Dr. Bernard Lewinsky, received
transactional immunity with his
daughter
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More testimony by Lewinsky possible
After six months of speculation and anticipation, Lewinsky
completed a full day of testimony before Independent Counsel
Ken Starr's grand jury, which is investigating allegations of
perjury and obstruction of justice centered around her
alleged relationship with Clinton.
CNN has learned that Starr's office may bring her back for
more testimony, but that no additional appearances before the
grand jury have been scheduled.
Clinton will be questioned Aug. 17 at the White House. His
testimony will be watched live by grand jurors via a closed-
circuit television link.
Amidst a media frenzy, Lewinsky left the federal courthouse
about 5:20 p.m. EDT without comment. Her spokeswoman, Judy
Smith, met with reporters afterward to make a short statement
on her behalf.
"Monica Lewinsky testified before the grand jury today,"
Smith said. "She answered each question truthfully,
completely and honestly that was posed to her by the
independent counsel and also questions that were posed to her
by members of the grand jury. Monica and her family are
relieved that this ordeal finally appears to be coming to an
end."
Earlier in the day, Plato Cacheris, one of Lewinsky's
attorneys, told reporters, "Monica's doing fine."
Lewinsky, 25, has agreed to answer all of Starr's questions
in exchange for blanket, transactional immunity from
prosecution.
As part of her immunity deal, sources told CNN that full
immunity also has been extended to Lewinsky's father, Dr.
Bernard Lewinsky, in addition to her mother Marcia Lewis, who
received it earlier.
Wearing a dark blue suit and accompanied by her attorneys,
Lewinsky was ushered in a side entrance to the courthouse
shortly before 8:30 a.m. EDT. She appeared solemn but calm.
Before entering, she paused for a reassuring hug from
Cacheris associate Sydney Hoffmann.
Hoffmann is credited with gaining Lewinsky's confidence and
putting her in the frame of mind to finally agree to an
immunity deal and tell her story.
Once inside, Lewinsky was allowed to take a private elevator
normally used for judges to the third floor. She then stepped
almost immediately into the grand jury room, where she stayed
most of the day.
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Ken Starr
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White House low key
The president and his aides were trying to project an aura of
business as usual at the White House Thursday. A White House
spokesman insisted Clinton was not dwelling on the Lewinsky
testimony.
"His mood is great," said Barry Toiv, deputy White House
press secretary. "We do know that he agrees with us and
probably all Americans that if this means that we are coming
to the end of this four-year, over $40 million investigation,
then that would be a good thing."
Clinton hosted an anti-crime event in the Rose Garden. At the
conclusion of his remarks, the blare of a military band
drowned out reporters' shouted questions about Lewinsky.
Sources familiar with Starr's investigation said the FBI
crime lab in Washington has completed preliminary tests on a
dark blue cocktail dress given to prosecutors by Lewinsky.
The dress is being evaluated to see if it contains any DNA
evidence that could substantiate Lewinsky's claims of sexual
encounters with Clinton.
The results are being kept secret by Starr. Sources have said
neither Attorney General Janet Reno nor FBI Director Louis
Freeh would be notified of the findings.
Investigators did not find the dress when they searched
Lewinsky's Watergate home earlier this year, because she had
stored the dress in her mother's New York City apartment.
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Lanny Breuer
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Executive privilege claim revisited
The White House is reviving claims of executive privilege as
it tries to keep administration attorneys from answering
certain questions in the Lewinsky investigation.
The issue is now the subject of sealed court proceedings
involving White House special counsel Lanny Breuer, according
to two legal sources who spoke to CNN on condition of
anonymity.
Breuer was forced to testify earlier this week after the
Supreme Court refused to intervene and stay a lower court
ruling that Breuer did not enjoy an attorney-client privilege
with the president, because the Lewinsky controversy does not
involve Clinton's official presidential duties.
In rejecting the privilege claim, a federal appeals court
suggested that some of the areas of dispute could conceivably
fall under the protective cloak of executive privilege. For
example, the appeals court said discussions with government
lawyers about the possibility of impeachment proceedings
could be protected by the executive privilege.
The administration had dropped earlier claims of executive
privilege but raised them again Tuesday during Breuer's
testimony, the sources said. The resulting legal battle could
wind its way back through the appeals court and ultimately on
to the Supreme Court, taking several weeks or more, one
source said.
Separately, an administration official said Bruce Lindsey,
the deputy White House counsel, could be laid up for as long
as three weeks recovering from major back surgery. That would
mean any additional grand jury testimony from Lindsey would
likely come after the president's Aug. 17 sworn account.
Senior White House Correspondent Wolf Blitzer, White House
Correspondent John King and Congressional Correspondent Bob
Franken contributed to this report.
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