Impeachment trial of Bill Clinton
The impeachment trial of Bill Clinton was a major political event in 1999. Here is a simple, short summary.
What led to the trial
- In December 1998, the U.S. House of Representatives impeached President Bill Clinton on two charges: perjury and obstruction of justice.
- The charges came from Clinton’s sworn testimony about a sexual relationship with White House intern Monica Lewinsky and from a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by Paula Jones.
- The investigation was driven by the Starr Report, a detailed report by Independent Counsel Ken Starr.
The trial in the Senate
- The trial took place in the Senate from January 7 to February 12, 1999.
- Chief Justice William Rehnquist presided over the trial.
- The House impeachment managers, led by Henry Hyde, acted as prosecutors. Clinton’s defense team was led by Charles Ruff, with other White House lawyers.
Key moments during the trial
- The Senate debated whether to call witnesses. In the end, lawmakers allowed the use of videotaped depositions rather than live testimony.
- Video excerpts from Monica Lewinsky, Vernon Jordan, and Sidney Blumenthal were shown to the Senate in February.
- Lewinsky’s interview and the depositions were discussed, but no live witnesses were called.
The verdict
- On February 12, 1999, the Senate voted on the two articles of impeachment.
- The charges did not reach the two-thirds needed to convict and remove Clinton from office.
- Clinton was acquitted on both charges and remained President.
- Democrats voted overwhelmingly not guilty, and some Republicans also voted not guilty on the charges.
What happened after the trial
- Public opinion was mixed; impeachment was initially unpopular, but views varied over time.
- In April 1999, Clinton was found in civil contempt of court in the Paula Jones case and fined for not telling the truth in a deposition.
- On January 20, 2001, Clinton agreed to a five-year suspension of his Arkansas law license and a fine as part of an agreement related to the ongoing investigations, ending the criminal case without further charges.
- The impeachment trial is seen as a historic moment, the second time a U.S. president faced impeachment in Congress.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 10:10 (CET).