The President on Trial: Sifting Through the Evidence            Full Coverage Search Clinton in Crisis The Trial Trial Guide Evidence Guide Transcripts Video Discuss the Trial The Starr Report and Rebuttals Video Index Documents Starr Investigation Jones v. Clinton Whitewater Jones v. Clinton Whitewater Article II, Charge 3: The Trail of the Gift Horse (3) On or about December 28, 1997, William Jefferson Clinton corruptly engaged in, encouraged, or supported a scheme to conceal evidence that had been subpoenaed in a Federal civil rights action brought against him. Lewinsky met with Clinton on December 28, 1997 in the Oval Office. At this meeting, Clinton allegedly devised a "scheme" to hide from the Paula Jones layers the gifts he gave Lewinsky. That day, according to Lewinsky, she and Clinton discussed the gifts and her subpoena. (The subpoena contained a request for any gifts Clinton gave Lewinsky, including specific reference to a hat pin.) Lewinsky said she suggested to Clinton, "Maybe I should put the gifts away outside my house somewhere or give them to someone." The president's response, according to her: "I don't know" or "Let me think about that." The hat pin reference "sort of concerned him," she said. Clinton said he told her that "if they asked her for gifts, she'd have to give them whatever she had," but he also told the grand jury he didn't recall knowing that a specific item (the hat pin) was in the subpoena. He also testified he gave her a bit of seemingly obvious legal advice: "the way these things work is, when a person gets a subpoena, you have to give them whatever you have; that's the rule, that's what the law is." Later that afternoon, according to Lewinsky, Clinton secretary Betty Currie called Lewinsky and said, "I understand you have something to give me," or "The president said you have something to give me." (Currie said Lewinsky called her and asked Currie to hold "some gifts" for her. Phone records show Currie called Lewinsky from her cellular phone, though White House lawyers questioned the timing of the call to Lewinsky.) Currie then drove over to Lewinsky's Watergate apartment and picked up a box with the gifts, took them home and hid them under her bed. Unfortunately, Currie's testimony doesn't reveal much. She either didn't know or couldn't remember any of four crucial factors in proving a case against the president: whether Clinton knew Currie was holding the gifts, whether Clinton told Currie about Lewinsky needing the gifts held, whether Currie ever told Clinton about holding the gifts or whether Clinton ever asked Currie to hold the gifts. So was this coincidence or collusion? Only two-thirds of the Clinton-Lewinsky-Currie triangle seems to be in place. Clinton and Lewinsky talked about the gifts, but not in a manner (from what both have testified) that clearly indicates he wanted them concealed. Lewinsky gave the gifts to Currie to hold. But did Clinton and Currie have any contact about this? Part of the story seems to be missing. If the Senate calls witnesses, Currie is a very likely choice for further examination of this issue. Introduction Article I Charges 1 & 2: What is Sex? | Charge 3: Speak No Evil, Hear No Evil? | Charge 4: A Man of Influence? | In Sum...A Man of Honor? Article II Charges 1 & 2: Greasing the Wheels? | Charge 3: The Trail of the Gift Horse | Charge 4: Escape to New York | Charge 5: Speak No Evil, Hear No Evil? (Part II) | Charge 6: The Four Questions | Charge 7: An Influential Man (Pt. II) | In Sum...All or Nothing? Version for Printing