Linda Tripp was going to be put in the position of having to perjure herself. The Paula Jones case was about to go to depositions. Monica had learned from Bill Clinton her name was on the witness list and she was panicked. Monica was positive the former intern (can't recall her name) now a Starbucks manager in Georgetown, was a Clinton hit. There was also the lady, who worked at the desk next to John Huang at Commerce, who died over a Thanksgiving weekend under extraordinary circumstances. Linda also knew what she was dealing with in the Clinton administration because she worked one of the desks in Vince Foster's outer office. She was there the day he left and didn't return.
She taped the conversations with Monica to have proof in case it came to that. The Clinton bunch were very good at calling people liars, using the media to intimidate, and using private investigators to threaten and intimidate. Ask Katherine Willey.
Linda had already had to testify before Congress in the investigation following Vince Foster's death. She was there to watch the strange way in which the White House handled his office immediately after the report of his death, and the investigation.
It had to concern her to suddenly realize she was again caught up in the Clinton's private business.
You may not recall the Clintons have an unsavory reputation concerning people who get in their way or cross them.
Taping Lewinsky was just good insurance.
I believe the former intern was Mary Mahoney.
So we have gone from her being Lewinsky's friend by helping her to confess to just covering her bases then.