Here’s a stroll down Richardson’s personal gutter.
Richardson, U.N. Mission Subpoenaed On Lewinsky Job Offer
Washington (CNN, Jan. 23,1998) — Whitewater Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr has issued subpoenas for documents to U.S. Ambassador Bill Richardson and the entire U.S. mission, according to Richardson’s chief of staff, Rebecca Cooper.
Cooper said, “The subpoenas are for documents only at this point, for all details pertaining to Monica” Lewinsky. Cooper said Richardson and the staff “plan to comply fully.”
Richardson’s office offered Monica Lewinsky a job as junior assistant doing public outreach and cabinet agency assignments. She would have worked for the ambassador’s chief of staff in the New York office. Her job would have included working with grass-roots organizations across the country, like college model U.N.s and associations and other groups with interest in the work of the United Nations.
Cooper said she was attracted to Lewinsky as a candidate because she had both the White House and public affairs in her background. “She seemed perfect,” Cooper said.
“One of the things that had impressed me was that during our interview she raised areas that the ambassador’s office could be more involved in, like doing more to use the Internet to let people know about the work for the U.S. mission,” she said.
Cooper said that John Podesta and Betty Currie, both of the White House, referred Lewinsky’s name to the ambassador. Scheduling set up an interview for October 31. Richardson and Cooper met with Lewinsky first for a brief amount of time, about ten minutes.
Then Cooper followed up with a half-hour interview with her. Cooper says “She was well-groomed, outgoing, enthusiastic, clearly eager to work hard. She was very typical of the many young people I’ve known and worked with in Washington.”
Cooper said she needed to move quickly on filling the position and two weeks later, offered her the job. “She had the right background and she had the right match, but she was looking for other jobs.” In December, Cooper says Lewinsky was asked to make a decision. Although no firm salary had been set, Cooper says she would have been making in the 30s.
Ambassador Richardson meets “with every political appointee in his office. There are about 20, and they are the jobs that most frequently become available.”
Cooper said the White House “never asked to give her special attention or consideration” to Lewinsky.
Well, Monica certainly had White House affair experience.