Kathleen Willey
Encyclopedia
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
. She had been subpoena
ed to testify in the Paula Jones
sexual harassment
case.
, Clinton had embraced her tightly, kissed her on the mouth. Clinton denied assaulting Willey. The Clinton White House released details of 15 letters and 12 telephone messages that Willey had sent to Clinton after the alleged incident. In all of these, she appeared friendly and eager for more contact with Clinton.
According to Linda Tripp
’s grand jury
testimony, she felt Willey pursued a romance with Clinton from the start of her White House affiliation. Willey had speculated with Tripp as to how she might be able to set up an assignation between herself and the president. She routinely attended events at which Clinton would be present, wearing a black dress she believed he liked. According to Tripp’s testimony, she wondered if she and Clinton could arrange to meet in a home to which she had access, on the Chesapeake Bay
.
’s report, "Willey’s [Paula] Jones deposition
testimony differed from her grand jury testimony on material aspects of the alleged incident."
According to a book critical of Clinton by Candice E. Jackson, Tripp told Larry King
in February 1999 that Willey is "an honest person" who was "telling the truth" about having been sexually assaulted by Clinton. However, Tripp's grand jury testimony differs from Willey's claims regarding inappropriate sexual advances.
Willey has a history of controversial claims including telling the FBI she was pregnant and she had a miscarriage
when she did not.
In March 2000, U.S. District Court Judge Royce Lamberth ruled that President Clinton had "committed a criminal violation" of the Privacy Act
by releasing letters from Willey to the President that were written even after the alleged incident. A three-judge panel of the U.S. District Court of Appeals later criticized this ruling, though Willey subsequently filed suit against the White House, over this issue.
On November 6, 2007, her book Target: Caught in the Crosshairs of Bill and Hillary Clinton was published by World Ahead Media. In her book, Willey claimed that on Labor Day
weekend 2007, her house was burglarized, with the only thing stolen being a manuscript of her book. Willey stated that she believes individuals with ties to Bill and Hillary Clinton are responsible for the break-in. She also filed a police report. Media Matters
reported that, in a November 7 interview with Fox News personality Sean Hannity
, she contradicted information from her own book. Willey had alleged that, two days before her deposition in the Paula Jones sexual harassment case, Cody Shearer, the brother of a Clinton White House aide, had confronted her, hurt her cat, and threatened her children. During an interview on The Sean Hannity Show
, Willey stated, "[the] FBI checked it out, and they found his excuse to be, for not being there, his alibi, was uncheckable, not so much ironclad as uncheckable." However, in her book she had written, "I was told that Shearer had an 'airtight' and 'ironclad' alibi, but another source told me that it was 'uncheckable.'"
, committed suicide
on November 29, 1993 — the same day that she had claimed Clinton's sexual misconduct took place.
Willey remarried in November 1999 to Bill Schwicker. Now divorce
d, she works and resides in Powhatan County, Virginia
.
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...
volunteer aide who, on March 15, 1998, alleged on the TV news program 60 Minutes
60 Minutes
60 Minutes is an American television news magazine, which has run on CBS since 1968. The program was created by producer Don Hewitt who set it apart by using a unique style of reporter-centered investigation....
that 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 sexually assaulted
Sexual assault
Sexual assault is an assault of a sexual nature on another person, or any sexual act committed without consent. Although sexual assaults most frequently are by a man on a woman, it may involve any combination of two or more men, women and children....
her on November 29, 1993, during his first term as President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
. She had been subpoena
Subpoena
A subpoena is a writ by a government agency, most often a court, that has authority to compel testimony by a witness or production of evidence under a penalty for failure. There are two common types of subpoena:...
ed to testify in the 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...
sexual harassment
Sexual harassment
Sexual harassment, is intimidation, bullying or coercion of a sexual nature, or the unwelcome or inappropriate promise of rewards in exchange for sexual favors. In some contexts or circumstances, sexual harassment is illegal. It includes a range of behavior from seemingly mild transgressions and...
case.
Claims
According to Willey, during a meeting in the private study of the Oval OfficeOval Office
The Oval Office, located in the West Wing of the White House, is the official office of the President of the United States.The room features three large south-facing windows behind the president's desk, and a fireplace at the north end...
, Clinton had embraced her tightly, kissed her on the mouth. Clinton denied assaulting Willey. The Clinton White House released details of 15 letters and 12 telephone messages that Willey had sent to Clinton after the alleged incident. In all of these, she appeared friendly and eager for more contact with Clinton.
According to Linda Tripp
Linda Tripp
Linda Rose Tripp was a central figure in the Lewinsky scandal of 1998 and 1999 that led to the impeachment and subsequent acquittal of U.S. President Bill Clinton.-Early life and government employment:...
’s grand jury
Grand jury
A grand jury is a type of jury that determines whether a criminal indictment will issue. Currently, only the United States retains grand juries, although some other common law jurisdictions formerly employed them, and most other jurisdictions employ some other type of preliminary hearing...
testimony, she felt Willey pursued a romance with Clinton from the start of her White House affiliation. Willey had speculated with Tripp as to how she might be able to set up an assignation between herself and the president. She routinely attended events at which Clinton would be present, wearing a black dress she believed he liked. According to Tripp’s testimony, she wondered if she and Clinton could arrange to meet in a home to which she had access, on the Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
.
Investigation and current status
The Final Report of the U.S. Office of the Independent Counsel report noted that "Willey gave false information to the FBI about her sexual relationship with a former boyfriend, and acknowledged having lied about it when the agents confronted her with contradictory evidence. Following Willey’s acknowledgment of the lie, the Independent Counsel agreed not to prosecute her for false statements in this regard." According to Independent Counsel Robert RayRobert Ray (prosecutor)
Robert William Ray is an American lawyer. As the successor to Ken Starr as the head of the Office of the Independent Counsel he investigated and issued the final reports on the Whitewater scandal, the White House travel office controversy, and the White House FBI files controversy...
’s report, "Willey’s [Paula] Jones deposition
Deposition (law)
In the law of the United States, a deposition is the out-of-court oral testimony of a witness that is reduced to writing for later use in court or for discovery purposes. It is commonly used in litigation in the United States and Canada and is almost always conducted outside of court by the...
testimony differed from her grand jury testimony on material aspects of the alleged incident."
According to a book critical of Clinton by Candice E. Jackson, Tripp told Larry King
Larry King
Lawrence Harvey "Larry" King is an American television and radio host whose work has been recognized with awards including two Peabodys and ten Cable ACE Awards....
in February 1999 that Willey is "an honest person" who was "telling the truth" about having been sexually assaulted by Clinton. However, Tripp's grand jury testimony differs from Willey's claims regarding inappropriate sexual advances.
Willey has a history of controversial claims including telling the FBI she was pregnant and she had a miscarriage
Miscarriage
Miscarriage or spontaneous abortion is the spontaneous end of a pregnancy at a stage where the embryo or fetus is incapable of surviving independently, generally defined in humans at prior to 20 weeks of gestation...
when she did not.
In March 2000, U.S. District Court Judge Royce Lamberth ruled that President Clinton had "committed a criminal violation" of the Privacy Act
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...
by releasing letters from Willey to the President that were written even after the alleged incident. A three-judge panel of the U.S. District Court of Appeals later criticized this ruling, though Willey subsequently filed suit against the White House, over this issue.
On November 6, 2007, her book Target: Caught in the Crosshairs of Bill and Hillary Clinton was published by World Ahead Media. In her book, Willey claimed that on Labor Day
Labor Day
Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.-History:...
weekend 2007, her house was burglarized, with the only thing stolen being a manuscript of her book. Willey stated that she believes individuals with ties to Bill and Hillary Clinton are responsible for the break-in. She also filed a police report. Media Matters
Media Matters
Media Matters can refer to:* Media Matters for America, progressive media watchdog group founded by author David Brock* The radio program Media Matters hosted by communications professor Robert W. McChesney...
reported that, in a November 7 interview with Fox News personality Sean Hannity
Sean Hannity
Sean Hannity is an American radio and television host, author, and conservative political commentator. He is the host of The Sean Hannity Show, a nationally syndicated talk radio show that airs throughout the United States on Premiere Radio Networks. Hannity also hosts a cable news show, Hannity,...
, she contradicted information from her own book. Willey had alleged that, two days before her deposition in the Paula Jones sexual harassment case, Cody Shearer, the brother of a Clinton White House aide, had confronted her, hurt her cat, and threatened her children. During an interview on The Sean Hannity Show
The Sean Hannity Show
The Sean Hannity Show is a talk radio show hosted by Sean Hannity on Citadel Media and Premiere Radio Networks. The program is broadcast live every weekday, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m...
, Willey stated, "[the] FBI checked it out, and they found his excuse to be, for not being there, his alibi, was uncheckable, not so much ironclad as uncheckable." However, in her book she had written, "I was told that Shearer had an 'airtight' and 'ironclad' alibi, but another source told me that it was 'uncheckable.'"
Personal life
Willey's second husband, Edward E. Willey Jr.Edward E. Willey Jr.
Edward Eugene Willey, Jr. was a lawyer and real estate investor based in Richmond, Virginia.- Biography :...
, committed suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
on November 29, 1993 — the same day that she had claimed Clinton's sexual misconduct took place.
Willey remarried in November 1999 to Bill Schwicker. Now divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
d, she works and resides in Powhatan County, Virginia
Powhatan County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 22,377 people, 7,258 households, and 5,900 families residing in the county. The population density was 86 people per square mile . There were 7,509 housing units at an average density of 29 per square mile...
.
External links
- Key Player: Kathleen Willey. Special Report: Clinton Accused. Washington Post, Updated 1998-10-02
- Excerpt From Kathleen Willey's Deposition to Paula Jones' Lawyers, Coffee Shop Times
- Excerpt From President Clinton's Deposition to Paula Jones' Lawyers Regarding Willey, Coffee Shop Times
- Willey's involvement was life-altering USA Today
- Slick Willey Salon.comSalon.comSalon.com, part of Salon Media Group , often just called Salon, is an online liberal magazine, with content updated each weekday. Salon was founded by David Talbot and launched on November 20, 1995. It was the internet's first online-only commercial publication. The magazine focuses on U.S...
, 1998-03-18 - Kathleen Willey and Anita Hill Creators Syndicate, 1998-03-18
- Willey and the Beast Albion Monitor, 1998-03-31
- Tripp's testimony (600 page pdf).
- Starr and Willey: The Untold Story, The Nation, May 17, 1999
- Stalking the president Salon.comSalon.comSalon.com, part of Salon Media Group , often just called Salon, is an online liberal magazine, with content updated each weekday. Salon was founded by David Talbot and launched on November 20, 1995. It was the internet's first online-only commercial publication. The magazine focuses on U.S...
, 1999-01-22. - "Kathleen's crusade" The Hook, 2008-02-21