D. January 7: Ms. Lewinsky Signs Affidavit
Ms. Lewinsky set an appointment with Mr. Carter to finalize
the affidavit for 10 a.m. on January 7, 1998.(952) She signed the
affidavit; however, she acknowledged in the grand jury that
statements in it were false.(953) Mr. Carter indicated to her that
he "intend[ed] to hold onto this until after I talk to
plaintiff's lawyers." He told her to "keep in touch," and said:
"Good luck on your job search."(956)
According to Mr. Jordan, Ms. Lewinsky came to his office on
January 7 and showed him the signed affidavit.(957) Over the course
of the day, Mr. Jordan placed three calls of significant duration
to the White House.(958) He testified: "I knew the President was
concerned about the affidavit and whether it was signed or
not."(959) When asked whether the President understood that the
affidavit denied a sexual relationship, Mr. Jordan testified: "I
think that's a reasonable assumption."(960) According to Mr.
Jordan, when he informed the President that Ms. Lewinsky had
signed the affidavit, the President said, "Fine, good."(961) Mr.
Jordan said he was continuing to work on her job, and the
President responded, "Good."(962)
Ten days after this conversation, in the Jones deposition,
President Clinton was asked whether he knew that Ms. Lewinsky had
met with Vernon Jordan and talked about the Jones case. He
answered:
I knew he met with her. I think Betty
suggested that he meet with her. Anyway, he
met with her. I, I thought that he talked to
her about something else. I didn't know that
-- I thought he had given her some advice
about her move to New York. Seems like
that's what Betty said.(963)
In his grand jury appearance, however, President Clinton
testified that Mr. Jordan informed "us" on January 7 that Ms.
Lewinsky had signed an affidavit to be used in connection with
the Jones case.(964) The President defended his deposition
testimony by stating:
[M]y impression was that, at the time, I was
focused on the meetings. I believe the
meetings he had were meetings about her
moving to New York and getting a job.
I knew at some point that she had told him
that she needed some help, because she had
gotten a subpoena. I'm not sure I know
whether she did that in a meeting or a phone
call. And I was not, I was not focused on
that. I know that, I know Vernon helped her
get a lawyer, Mr. Carter. And I, I believe
that he did it after she had called him, but
I'm not sure. But I knew that the main
source of their meetings was about her move
to New York and her getting a job.(965)
E. January 8: The Perelman Call
The day after she signed the affidavit, January 8, 1998, Ms.
Lewinsky interviewed in New York with Jaymie Durnan, Senior Vice
President and Special Assistant to the Chairman at MacAndrews &
Forbes Holdings, Inc. (MFH).