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Goldberg takes blame for Tripp's tapes
Updated November 12, 1998
9:21 a.m. ET
ELLICOTT CITY, Md. (AP) — New York literary agent Lucianne
Goldberg went to court today to tell a grand jury about her talks
with Linda Tripp and to turn over two secretly recorded tapes of
conversations between Mrs. Tripp and Monica Lewinsky.
Mrs. Goldberg was accompanied by her son Jonah, who also was
subpoenaed to testify before the Howard County panel investigating
whether Mrs. Tripp broke Maryland law by failing to tell Ms.
Lewinsky she was being recorded as she discussed her affair with
President Clinton.
Asked if she had tapes with her, Mrs. Goldberg pointed to a
leather bag and said: "Right here."
Mrs. Tripp, who lives in Columbia, has told a federal grand jury
that she knew she violated state law by recording telephone
conversations with Ms. Lewinsky, a former co-worker. But her
testimony was made under a grant of immunity from Independent
Prosecutor Kenneth Starr, meaning the statement can't be used
against her in the Maryland investigation.
Under Maryland's wiretap law, prosecutors must prove the person
knew about the law before the taping. The maximum penalty for
breaking the law is five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
Mrs. Goldberg has said that Mrs. Tripp asked her in September
1997 if recording her calls with Ms. Lewinsky would be appropriate.
Mrs. Goldberg said she incorrectly told her friend that it was
legal.
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Lucianne Goldberg smiled as she was escorted to the Maryland courthouse by state troopers.
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Besides the Lewinsky-Tripp tapes, state prosecutor Stephen
Montanarelli's subpoena also requires Mrs. Goldberg to turn over
tapes of two conversations she herself had with Mrs. Tripp in
September 1997.
James Cabezas, chief investigator for the state prosecutor,
would not elaborate on what the Goldbergs would be asked.
Jonah Goldberg could be asked about a meeting he attended last
year in his Washington apartment with his mother, Mrs. Tripp and a
Newsweek reporter when the tapes were discussed.
Montanarelli has not subpoenaed Mrs. Tripp, according to her
spokesman, Philip Coughter.
—Greg Toppo
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