Juanita Broaddrick
Encyclopedia
Juanita Broaddrick is an American
former nursing home
administrator from Arkansas
. She alleged in 1998 that United States President Bill Clinton
had rape
d her two decades earlier. Clinton's attorney denied the allegations on his client's behalf.
' lawyers, denying that Clinton had ever assaulted her: "During the 1992 Presidential campaign there were unfounded rumors and stories circulated that Mr. Clinton had made unwelcome sexual advances toward me in the late seventies... These allegations are untrue ...." In November 1998, Broaddrick contradicted her sworn statement in an interview with Dateline NBC
. The interview, broadcast in February 1999, centered around Broaddrick's accusation that Clinton had raped her on April 25, 1978, during his first campaign for the governor
ship of the U.S. state of Arkansas
, at a time when Clinton was the Attorney General for the state.
In an interview by Dorothy Rabinowitz
for the Wall Street Journal editorial page, Broaddrick claimed that Clinton had told her not to worry about pregnancy, because childhood mumps
had rendered him sterile. The alleged incident occurred two years before Clinton's daughter with his wife Hillary Rodham was born.
Broaddrick recanted her earlier sworn statement when interviewed by the FBI
about the Jones case; the FBI found her account inconclusive, and the affidavit denying the allegations remains her only sworn testimony. Broaddrick later said of the affidavit, "I didn’t want to be forced to testify about one of the most horrific events in my life. I didn't want to go through it again." David Schippers
, the Chief Investigative Counsel for the House Judiciary Committee which was holding an inquiry on whether Clinton had committed impeachable offenses, stated that he believed Broaddrick filed the affidavit because of intimidation from Clinton, saying, "She was so terrified. And the reason she was terrified was because she saw what had happened to Kathleen Willey
, Gennifer Flowers
and all the rest of them." Although Broaddrick claimed that no one had pressured her to file a false affidavit, she complained that she was being watched from parked cars, her home had been broken into, her pets released and her answering machine tape stolen while she and her husband were away briefly, during the House impeachment probe.
In 1984, Broaddrick's nursing facility was adjudged the best in the state, which brought a congratulatory official letter from the governor. On the bottom was a handwritten note from Clinton, saying, "I admire you very much." She reputedly interpreted it as a "thank you" for her silence. Broaddrick said that Clinton tried to apologize to her in 1991, and claimed he had changed. In response to his apologies, as she told the Washington Post, "I told him to go to hell, and I walked off".
Five people have stated that Broaddrick told them about a rape shortly after it allegedly occurred. Of these, two were Broaddrick's co-worker Norma Kelsey and her sister; Slate Explainer
proposes that they may have a grudge against Clinton for commuting the sentence of the man who killed their father, noting further that a third corroborator is Broaddrick's current husband, who was involved in an extramarital affair with her at the time. Broaddrick did not tell her then-husband of the alleged assault at the time.
Broaddrick claimed she did not remember the exact date on which she was allegedly raped, but she did supply the name of the hotel (Camelot), and the reason she was visiting Little Rock (a nursing home seminar) when the incident had allegedly occurred. NBC News
found that a nursing conference was held in the Camelot Hotel on April 25, 1978. The hotel was located in the state capitol, where news reports indicate Clinton was that day, also suggesting that he had no known official commitments that morning. The Clinton White House declined to release his official schedule for the date. Three weeks after this date, Broaddrick attended a Clinton fundraiser. According to The Wall Street Journal
(February 19, 1999, p. A18), "Her [Broaddrick's] friend Norma Rogers, a nurse who had accompanied her on the trip", found Broaddrick distraught shortly after the time of the alleged attack. Clinton made no mention of Broaddrick or the alleged incident in his 2004 memoir My Life
.
According to Jack Nelson, Washington bureau chief of the Los Angeles Times
, many journalists were skeptical: "This is a story that's been knocked down and discredited so many times, I was shocked to see it in the [Wall Street] Journal today.... [E]veryone's taken a slice of it, and after looking at it, everyone's knocked it down. The woman has changed her story about whether it happened. It just wasn't credible." Joe Conason
and Gene Lyons
' book The Hunting of the President
argued that Broaddrick's claim is not credible and contains numerous inconsistencies.
Michael Isikoff
's book, Uncovering Clinton, and Christopher Hitchens
' book, No One Left to Lie To, argued that Broaddrick's claim is credible and shows similarities to Paula Jones
' later allegation of sexual harassment. Washington Post columnist Richard Cohen
commented, "And yet, I cannot get [Broaddrick's] accusation out of my head. On television, and in interviews with newspaper reporters, Broaddrick appeared credible."
or criminal
, was taken against Clinton or Broaddrick based on the allegation. Broaddrick was never called as a witness during President Clinton's impeachment proceedings
in January 1999. In his book, Sellout: The Inside Story of President Clinton's Impeachment, Schippers said he wanted to call Broaddrick as a witness to discuss Clinton's intimidation, but it was too late.
Broaddrick filed a lawsuit against Clinton in the summer of 1999, to obtain documents which the White House
may have gathered about her, claiming its refusal to accede to her demand for such documents violated the Privacy Act of 1974
. The case was dismissed in 2001. During the lawsuit, Broaddrick's business was audited by the IRS
which she charged was retaliation: "I do not believe this was coincidence," Broaddrick declared, "I do not think our number just came up."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
former nursing home
Nursing home
A nursing home, convalescent home, skilled nursing unit , care home, rest home, or old people's home provides a type of care of residents: it is a place of residence for people who require constant nursing care and have significant deficiencies with activities of daily living...
administrator from Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
. She alleged in 1998 that United States President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
had rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
d her two decades earlier. Clinton's attorney denied the allegations on his client's behalf.
Allegations against Bill Clinton
In 1997, Broaddrick had filed a sworn affidavit with Paula JonesPaula Jones
Paula Corbin Jones is a former Arkansas state employee who sued U.S. President Bill Clinton for sexual harassment. The lawsuit was dismissed before trial on the grounds that Jones failed to demonstrate any damages...
' lawyers, denying that Clinton had ever assaulted her: "During the 1992 Presidential campaign there were unfounded rumors and stories circulated that Mr. Clinton had made unwelcome sexual advances toward me in the late seventies... These allegations are untrue ...." In November 1998, Broaddrick contradicted her sworn statement in an interview with Dateline NBC
Dateline NBC
Dateline NBC, or Dateline, is a U.S. weekly television newsmagazine broadcast by NBC. It previously was NBC's flagship news magazine, but now focuses on true crime stories. It airs Friday at 9 p.m. EST and after football season on Sunday at 7 p.m. EST.-History:Dateline is historically notable for...
. The interview, broadcast in February 1999, centered around Broaddrick's accusation that Clinton had raped her on April 25, 1978, during his first campaign for the governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
ship of the U.S. state of Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, at a time when Clinton was the Attorney General for the state.
In an interview by Dorothy Rabinowitz
Dorothy Rabinowitz
Dorothy Rabinowitz is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American conservative journalist and commentator. She was born in New York City, and was educated at Queens College and New York University...
for the Wall Street Journal editorial page, Broaddrick claimed that Clinton had told her not to worry about pregnancy, because childhood mumps
Mumps
Mumps is a viral disease of the human species, caused by the mumps virus. Before the development of vaccination and the introduction of a vaccine, it was a common childhood disease worldwide...
had rendered him sterile. The alleged incident occurred two years before Clinton's daughter with his wife Hillary Rodham was born.
Broaddrick recanted her earlier sworn statement when interviewed by the FBI
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
about the Jones case; the FBI found her account inconclusive, and the affidavit denying the allegations remains her only sworn testimony. Broaddrick later said of the affidavit, "I didn’t want to be forced to testify about one of the most horrific events in my life. I didn't want to go through it again." David Schippers
David Schippers
David Schippers is a Chicago lawyer.He became a public figure when a friend of his, Congressman Henry Hyde, asked him to be the Chief Investigative Counsel for the U.S...
, the Chief Investigative Counsel for the House Judiciary Committee which was holding an inquiry on whether Clinton had committed impeachable offenses, stated that he believed Broaddrick filed the affidavit because of intimidation from Clinton, saying, "She was so terrified. And the reason she was terrified was because she saw what had happened to Kathleen Willey
Kathleen Willey
Kathleen Willey was a White House volunteer aide who, on March 15, 1998, alleged on the TV news program 60 Minutes that Bill Clinton had sexually assaulted her on November 29, 1993, during his first term as President...
, Gennifer Flowers
Gennifer Flowers
Gennifer Flowers is a model and actress who allegedly had a sexual relationship with former U.S. President Bill Clinton. Prior to Bill Clinton's presidency, she also posed nude for Penthouse magazine and was an actress in two films and one TV show...
and all the rest of them." Although Broaddrick claimed that no one had pressured her to file a false affidavit, she complained that she was being watched from parked cars, her home had been broken into, her pets released and her answering machine tape stolen while she and her husband were away briefly, during the House impeachment probe.
In 1984, Broaddrick's nursing facility was adjudged the best in the state, which brought a congratulatory official letter from the governor. On the bottom was a handwritten note from Clinton, saying, "I admire you very much." She reputedly interpreted it as a "thank you" for her silence. Broaddrick said that Clinton tried to apologize to her in 1991, and claimed he had changed. In response to his apologies, as she told the Washington Post, "I told him to go to hell, and I walked off".
Five people have stated that Broaddrick told them about a rape shortly after it allegedly occurred. Of these, two were Broaddrick's co-worker Norma Kelsey and her sister; Slate Explainer
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
proposes that they may have a grudge against Clinton for commuting the sentence of the man who killed their father, noting further that a third corroborator is Broaddrick's current husband, who was involved in an extramarital affair with her at the time. Broaddrick did not tell her then-husband of the alleged assault at the time.
Broaddrick claimed she did not remember the exact date on which she was allegedly raped, but she did supply the name of the hotel (Camelot), and the reason she was visiting Little Rock (a nursing home seminar) when the incident had allegedly occurred. NBC News
NBC News
NBC News is the news division of American television network NBC. It first started broadcasting in February 21, 1940. NBC Nightly News has aired from Studio 3B, located on floors 3 of the NBC Studios is the headquarters of the GE Building forms the centerpiece of 30th Rockefeller Center it is...
found that a nursing conference was held in the Camelot Hotel on April 25, 1978. The hotel was located in the state capitol, where news reports indicate Clinton was that day, also suggesting that he had no known official commitments that morning. The Clinton White House declined to release his official schedule for the date. Three weeks after this date, Broaddrick attended a Clinton fundraiser. According to The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
(February 19, 1999, p. A18), "Her [Broaddrick's] friend Norma Rogers, a nurse who had accompanied her on the trip", found Broaddrick distraught shortly after the time of the alleged attack. Clinton made no mention of Broaddrick or the alleged incident in his 2004 memoir My Life
My Life (Bill Clinton autobiography)
My Life is a 2004 autobiography written by former President of the United States Bill Clinton, who left office on January 20, 2001. It was released on June 22, 2004. The book was published by the Knopf Publishing Group; the book sold in excess of 2,250,000 copies...
.
Public and press reactions
In March 1999, a few months after the allegations publicly aired, 56% of Americans believed the allegations were false, while a third believed that Broaddrick's allegation of rape was at least possibly true. Similarly, 29% of the public felt the press should continue to cover the story, while 66% felt that the media should stop pursuing the story.According to Jack Nelson, Washington bureau chief of the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
, many journalists were skeptical: "This is a story that's been knocked down and discredited so many times, I was shocked to see it in the [Wall Street] Journal today.... [E]veryone's taken a slice of it, and after looking at it, everyone's knocked it down. The woman has changed her story about whether it happened. It just wasn't credible." Joe Conason
Joe Conason
Joe Conason is an American journalist, author and political commentator. He writes a column for the weekly New York Observer newspaper, for Salon.com and has written a number of books, including Big Lies , which addresses what he says are myths spread about liberals by conservatives.-Life and...
and Gene Lyons
Gene Lyons
Gene Lyons is a liberal political columnist and co-author with Joe Conason of The Hunting of the President: The 10 Year Campaign to Destroy Bill and Hillary Clinton, a documentary book published in 2000, with a supporting film. The book outlines a purported right wing campaign waged against...
' book The Hunting of the President
The Hunting of the President
The Hunting of the President is a 2004 English language documentary film about Bill Clinton. Clinton and his wife Hillary Clinton appear in archived footage...
argued that Broaddrick's claim is not credible and contains numerous inconsistencies.
Michael Isikoff
Michael Isikoff
Michael Isikoff is an investigative journalist for NBC News, formerly with the United States magazine Newsweek. He joined Newsweek as an investigative correspondent in June, 1994, and has written extensively on the U.S...
's book, Uncovering Clinton, and Christopher Hitchens
Christopher Hitchens
Christopher Eric Hitchens is an Anglo-American author and journalist whose books, essays, and journalistic career span more than four decades. He has been a columnist and literary critic at The Atlantic, Vanity Fair, Slate, World Affairs, The Nation, Free Inquiry, and became a media fellow at the...
' book, No One Left to Lie To, argued that Broaddrick's claim is credible and shows similarities to Paula Jones
Paula Jones
Paula Corbin Jones is a former Arkansas state employee who sued U.S. President Bill Clinton for sexual harassment. The lawsuit was dismissed before trial on the grounds that Jones failed to demonstrate any damages...
' later allegation of sexual harassment. Washington Post columnist Richard Cohen
Richard Cohen
Richard Cohen may refer to:*Richard Cohen , syndicated columnist for the Washington Post*Richard Cohen , a British Olympic fencer and author of Chasing the Sun*Richard A. Cohen, advocate of conversion therapy...
commented, "And yet, I cannot get [Broaddrick's] accusation out of my head. On television, and in interviews with newspaper reporters, Broaddrick appeared credible."
Legal consequences
Clinton's attorney, David Kendall, denied the allegations on Clinton's behalf. No legal action, civilCivil law (common law)
Civil law, as opposed to criminal law, is the branch of law dealing with disputes between individuals or organizations, in which compensation may be awarded to the victim...
or criminal
Criminal law
Criminal law, is the body of law that relates to crime. It might be defined as the body of rules that defines conduct that is not allowed because it is held to threaten, harm or endanger the safety and welfare of people, and that sets out the punishment to be imposed on people who do not obey...
, was taken against Clinton or Broaddrick based on the allegation. Broaddrick was never called as a witness during President Clinton's impeachment proceedings
Impeachment of Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton, President of the United States, was impeached by the House of Representatives on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice on December 19, 1998, but acquitted by the Senate on February 12, 1999. Two other impeachment articles, a second perjury charge and a charge of abuse of...
in January 1999. In his book, Sellout: The Inside Story of President Clinton's Impeachment, Schippers said he wanted to call Broaddrick as a witness to discuss Clinton's intimidation, but it was too late.
Broaddrick filed a lawsuit against Clinton in the summer of 1999, to obtain documents which the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
may have gathered about her, claiming its refusal to accede to her demand for such documents violated the Privacy Act of 1974
Privacy Act of 1974
The Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. § 552a, Public Law No. 93-579, establishes a Code of Fair Information Practice that governs the collection, maintenance, use, and dissemination of personally identifiable information about individuals that is maintained in systems of records by federal agencies...
. The case was dismissed in 2001. During the lawsuit, Broaddrick's business was audited by the IRS
Internal Revenue Service
The Internal Revenue Service is the revenue service of the United States federal government. The agency is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury, and is under the immediate direction of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue...
which she charged was retaliation: "I do not believe this was coincidence," Broaddrick declared, "I do not think our number just came up."