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Former President Bill Clinton’s second term as POTUS was entangled with scandal, ended with impeachment
By Ashlyn Messier
Published August 19, 2024
Bill Clinton was the 42nd President of the United States.
He was born on Aug. 19, 1946, as William Jefferson Blythe III. His parents were, William Jefferson Blythe II, who died in a car accident before Clinton was born, and Virginia Cassidy Blythe. Clinton was raised by his grandparents until his mother returned from nursing school.
Clinton, a Democrat, served two terms in the White House, but was impeached by the House of Representatives during his second term on Dec. 19, 1998, for committing perjury before a grand jury and obstructing justice.
Before Clinton led the nation as a two-term president, he graduated from Georgetown University. He later received a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford University and a law degree from Yale University in 1973.
His political venture started in Arkansas, where he was elected attorney general in 1976 after being defeated in his first run for Congress two years prior.
In 1978, he became governor of Arkansas, but lost for a second term.
Four years later, he returned to his role as governor, and then started his presidential campaign against Republican George H.W. Bush.
In 1992, Clinton and his running mate, Albert Gore Jr., were successful in their campaign, defeating Bush and independent candidate Ross Perot for the White House.
In 1996, Clinton won a second term as president, this time defeating Republican Bob Dole and, again, independent candidate Perot.
His presidency became known for accomplishments such as high homeownership, 22 million jobs created and low unemployment rates, but scandal ensued during his terms, too.
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During Clinton’s second term as president, he was impeached by the House of Representatives.
His impeachment partly stemmed from sexual harassment claims against Clinton by Paula Jones, that were said to have occurred before he was elected president, according to a research guide by the Library of Congress.
After Clinton was re-elected, evidence came to light of an extramarital affair between the president and Monica Lewinsky, a White House Intern.
Initially, Clinton denied the affair and Lewinsky corroborated the sworn testimony of Clinton.
The investigation was led by the late Kenneth Starr. Before the grand jury, Lewinsky admitted to the sexual relationship with Clinton, and the president admitted to the affair.
In December 1998, the House voted in favor of two articles of impeachment against Clinton, finding that he had committed perjury and obstructed justice. He became the second president in American history to be impeached, the first being Andrew Johnson.
During the Senate trial of 1999, Clinton was acquitted.
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After the trial was over, Clinton apologized to Congress and the American people for his behavior, and continued his term as president.
Following his presidency, he continued to be involved in politics. He has shown unwavering support for Democrats, including his wife, Hillary Clinton, who ran for the presidency herself in 2016, but was defeated by Donald Trump.
Clinton has also penned a number of books through the years, including after his presidency, such as "My Life," "Back to Work" and "Citizen: My Life After the White House."
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/bill-clinton-presidency