Who do you think impeached him?
Clinton Aides Have Few Legal Bills
.c The Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) - In an oddity for the Clinton presidency, top White House aides were largely untroubled last year by a long-standing hazard of working for Bill Clinton: fat legal bills.
Only one of 12 aides reported debts to law firms in 1998, according to financial disclosure forms released Monday. The exception is Bruce Lindsey, a close Clinton confidante who has served since January 1993.
Lindsey reported legal bills of between $600,000 and $1.25 million, owed to two Washington law firms. He said he owes between $500,001-$1 million to Hogan & Hartson, incurred from 1994 to 1996, and $100,001-$250,000 to Murphy & Shaffer, incurred in 1997.
Lindsey was a target in a Whitewater investigation of two Arkansas bankers but was not indicted.
As for Clinton, his legal defense fund reported this month that it has paid $4.5 million in legal fees for both the president and first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton. The Clintons owe legal bills of about $10 million.
A few White House staffers, such as presidential secretary Betty Currie, still carry legal bills as a result of subpoenas in the Monica Lewinsky matter. But most who accrued such debts due to investigations - such as George Stephanopoulos and Maggie Williams, the first lady's former chief of staff - departed long ago.
This year, home mortgages are listed as the main liabilities for aides such as Chief of Staff John Podesta, political director Minyon Moore, deputy White House counsel Cheryl Mills and the first lady's spokeswoman, Marsha Berry.
They reported assets mainly comprising stock holdings, trusts, bonds or bank accounts.
Lindsey reported 1998 assets ranging from $541,000 to $2.11 million and sold stocks valued up to $22,000. National security adviser Sandy Berger reported assets in a range between $1.16 million and $2.89 million, while the first lady's chief of staff, Melanne Verveer, reported assets in a range between $1.52 million to $4.09 million.
The president's economic policy adviser, Gene Sperling, reported assets ranging between $1,000 and $50,000, and listed no liabilities.