Impeachment of Bill Clinton

In December 1998, Bill Clinton became only the second president in American history to be impeached by the House of Representatives. The charges — perjury and obstruction of justice — grew out of his sworn denials of a sexual relationship with a young White House intern, Monica Lewinsky, denials that independent counsel Kenneth Starr's investigation showed to be false.

Starr had been appointed to investigate a failed Arkansas land deal known as Whitewater, but his inquiry expanded over years into Clinton's personal conduct. When the affair came to light in early 1998, Clinton at first flatly denied it on national television; his eventual admission that he had "misled people" turned a private scandal into a constitutional confrontation over whether lying about sex under oath rose to the level of an impeachable offense.

The Senate trial in early 1999 was effectively over before it began, as Democrats held more than enough votes to acquit. Neither charge came close to the two-thirds majority required for removal — the perjury count failed 45–55, the obstruction count split 50–50. Clinton was acquitted and served out his term.

The episode left a divided verdict in public opinion. Clinton's job-approval ratings actually rose during the ordeal, as many Americans concluded that Republicans had overreached in pursuing impeachment over a personal failing. The affair permanently shadowed his legacy while deepening the partisan rancor that would define the decades to come.