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Kathleen Willey

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Kathleen Willey
BornKathleen Elizabeth Matzuk
(1946-06-02)June 2, 1946(age 78)
Philadelphia,Pennsylvania,U.S.
OccupationWhite House aide volunteer
Spouse
Richard Dolsey
​
​
(m.1968;div.1970)​
Edward Willey
​
​
(m.1973; died1993)​
Bill Schwicker
​
​
(m.1999;div.2006)​
Children3[a]

Kathleen Willey(born June 2, 1946) is a formerWhite Housevolunteer aide who, on March 15, 1998, alleged on the TV news program60 MinutesthatBill Clintonhad sexually assaulted her on November 29, 1993, during his first term asPresident.She had beensubpoenaedto testify in thePaula Jonessexual harassmentcase.[2]

Claims[edit]

According to Willey, during an early afternoon meeting on November 29, 1993, in the private study of theOval Office,Clinton had embraced her tightly, kissed her on the lips, grabbed her breast, and forced her hand on his genitals.[3]Clinton denied assaulting Willey. According toMonica Lewinsky's testimony, Clinton stated that the allegation was absurd because Willey is a small-breasted woman, so he would never pursue such a woman.[4]She had asked an acquaintance, Julie Hiatt Steele, to back up her claims to aNewsweekreporter; Steele at first reluctantly agreed, but soon recanted and then was subjected to a years-long attack by Willey's right-wing patrons and brought up on charges by Ken Starr's OIC.[5]

According toLinda Tripp'sgrand jurytestimony, 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 and wore a black dress she believed he liked. According to Tripp's testimony, Willey wondered if she and Clinton could arrange to meet in a home to which she had access, on theChesapeake Bay.[6]

Investigation[edit]

The Final Report of theU.S. Office of the Independent Counselreport noted that "Willey and President Clinton are the only direct witnesses to their meeting, and their accounts differ substantially on the crucial facts of what occurred." It also stated that she 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. Theprobative valueof this last aspect of Willey's testimony is highly uncertain beyond the unfavorable light it casts on her general credibility. Her claims regarding Clinton do not involve her former boyfriend.

There were also some differences in Paula Jones’ and her grand jury testimony, but in both, she stated she had been harassed.[7][8]Following Willey's acknowledgment of these lies about her boyfriend, "the Independent Counsel agreed not to prosecute Willey for any offense arising out of the investigation, including false statements in her Jones deposition, so long as she cooperated fully and truthfully with the investigation."[9]

According to Independent CounselRobert Ray's report, "Willey's Paula Jonesdepositiontestimony differed from her grand jury testimony on material aspects of the alleged incident. "[10]

Ultimately, the Independent Counsel declined prosecution, and noted the absence of strong supporting evidence.[11]

According to a book critical of Clinton by Candice E. Jackson, Tripp toldLarry Kingin February 1999 that Willey is "an honest person" who was "telling the truth" about having been sexually assaulted by Clinton.[12]However, Tripp's grand jury testimony differs from Willey's claims regarding inappropriate sexual advances. She stated that Willey appeared excited about the alleged assault. Specifically, Tripp testified that Willey reported Clinton's sexual advances, which Clinton completely denied making. Tripp also noted that Willey stated that the force of the advances took her breath away, which is consistent with Willey's claim that she was not even given the opportunity to consent. However, Tripp further noted that Willey seemed pleased in some respects with what had happened.[13][14]

The Independent Counsel believed that Willey told a boyfriend that she was pregnant and she had amiscarriagewhen she did not.[15]On the evening of March 19, 1998, Julie Hiatt Steele, a friend of Willey, released anaffidavit,accusing the former White House aide of asking her to lie to corroborate Willey's account of being sexually groped by President Clinton in the Oval Office.[16]

An attempt by Starr to prosecute Steele for making false statements and obstructing justice ended in a mistrial, and Starr declined to seek a retrial after Steele sought an investigation against the former Independent Counsel for prosecutorial misconduct.[17]Federal prosecutors are immune to such “misconduct” actions under longstanding Supreme Court precedent.

In March 2000, U.S. District Court JudgeRoyce Lamberthruled that President Clinton had "committed a criminal violation" of thePrivacy Act of 1974by releasing letters from Willey to the President that were written even after the alleged incident.[18]A three-judge panel of the U.S. District Court of Appeals later criticized that aspect of Lamberth's ruling as “sweeping” and “superfluous,”[19]but denied the White House motion before them. Willey filed suit against the White House over the issue.[20]

Target[edit]

On November 6, 2007, her bookTarget: Caught in the Crosshairs of Bill and Hillary Clintonwas published by WND Books, an imprint of World Ahead Media andWorldNetDaily.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 the Clintons were responsible for the break-in. She also filed a police report.[21]

Willey draws similarities in her book between the circumstances of her husband's death on November 29, 1993, and of the death ofVincent Foster,[22]although she does not claim to know that any wrongdoing took place.[23]

"A Scandal a Day" website[edit]

In July 2015, Willey launched "A Scandal A Day," an anti-Clinton website;[24]the website was set up by an Arizona-basedprivate detectivecompany Maverick Investigations, owned by Tom Watson.[25]

In 2016, Willey was interviewed byLarry Kingabout the alleged incident.[26]

Appearance with Trump[edit]

In October 2016, Willey joinedDonald Trumpfor a press conference before the secondpresidential debateto air grievances againstHillaryandBill Clinton.The conference also includedJuanita Broaddrick,Paula Jones,andKathy Shelton.[27][28]She was paid $2,500 for the appearance by aPolitical Action Committeeheaded byRoger Stone.[29]

Personal life[edit]

While in high school, Willey became pregnant. She was sent to Ohio for the birth, and the child was placed for adoption. When she returned to school, it was said that her absence had been due to a car crash.[1]

Her first marriage was to Richard Dolsey, a medical student at the time. They had a daughter before divorcing in 1970.[1]

At the time of the alleged assault by President Clinton, Willey was married to Edward Eugene Willey Jr., a real estate lawyer. They had a son together.[1]Edward Willey committed suicide on November 29, 1993.[30]Around this time, he owed theIRS$400,000, and stole $275,000 from a client.[15]

She was remarried in November 1999 to Bill Schwicker,[31]whom she divorced in 2006. As of 2008,she works and resides inPowhatan County, Virginia.[32]

Willey works as a freelance writer and lives inPowhatan County, Virginia.[33]

In popular media[edit]

In 2021, Willey was portrayed byElizabeth ReaserinImpeachment: American Crime Story,which focuses on the story of theMonica Lewinsky scandal,and portrays Willey's relationship with Linda Tripp.

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^Her firstborn child was placed for adoption. She then had a daughter with her first husband and a son with her second husband.[1]

References[edit]

  1. ^abcdBellafante, Ginia (March 30, 1998)."The Lives Of Kathleen Willey".Time.RetrievedOctober 5,2021– viaCNN.
  2. ^"Sparking the Scandal".TIME.February 2, 1998. Archived fromthe originalon December 11, 2008.RetrievedMay 22,2008.
  3. ^"Willey v. Clinton: Who's Lying? – March 15, 1998".cnn.RetrievedDecember 31,2015.
  4. ^"The Starr Report".washingtonpost.1998.RetrievedJanuary 12,2016.
  5. ^""Federal trial is a Starr attraction", Leef Smith,Washington Post".May 3, 1999.
  6. ^"Office of the Independent Council documents"(PDF).January 27, 1998. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on December 2, 2007.
  7. ^"Excerpts from Katheen Willey's Deposition".Washington Post.March 13, 1998.RetrievedJune 5,2016.
  8. ^Susan Schmidt (November 1, 1998)."Starr Probing Willey Allegations".Washington Post.
  9. ^Final Report of the Independent Council, Appendix B – Investigation of Allegations Made by Kathleen E. Willey(PDF).OIC & GPO.
  10. ^http://news.findlaw /hdocs/docs/clinton/icreport/appbwiley030602icrpt.pdf(p.7 pdf)
  11. ^Final Report of the Independent Council, Appendix B – Investigation of Allegations Made by Kathleen E. Willey(PDF).OIC & GPO.
  12. ^Candice E. Jackson (2004).Their Lives: The Women Targeted by the Clinton Machine.World Ahead Media.p. 48.
  13. ^"Stalking the president".Salon.January 1999. Archived fromthe originalon January 29, 2011.RetrievedNovember 17,2007.
  14. ^Susan Schmidt (November 1, 1998)."Starr Probing Willey Allegations".Washington Post.
  15. ^ab"The Lives Of Kathleen Willey".CNN. March 30, 1998.RetrievedNovember 17,2007.
  16. ^John M. Broader (March 19, 1998)."Friend Accuses Willey for Plea to her to Lie".New York Times.RetrievedFebruary 15,2014.
  17. ^Peter Levy (November 30, 2001).Encyclopedia of the Clinton Presidency.Greenwood Publishing Group. pp.328–329.ISBN978-0313312946.RetrievedFebruary 15,2014.julia hiatt steele.
  18. ^"Judge rules White House violated privacy of Kathleen Willey".CNN. March 29, 1998. Archived fromthe originalon January 14, 2008.RetrievedMay 22,2008.
  19. ^Stout, David (May 27, 2000)."White House Loses and Gains in Ruling on a Privacy Act Case".New York Times.RetrievedMay 22,2008.
  20. ^"Willey Files Suit Against Clintons".CNN. September 21, 2000. Archived fromthe originalon September 4, 2012.RetrievedMay 25,2008.
  21. ^Willey, Kathleen (November 2007).Target: Caught in the cross hairs of Bill and Hillary Clinton.ISBN978-0974670164.
  22. ^Goldberg, Michelle (November 13, 2017)."I Believe Juanita".The New York Times.RetrievedNovember 14,2017.
  23. ^Willey, Kathleen (November 6, 2007).Target: Caught in the Crosshairs of Bill and Hillary Clinton(1 ed.). WND Books, an imprint of World Ahead Media. pp.68-71.ISBN978-0974670164.RetrievedNovember 14,2017.
  24. ^""a SCANDAL a day" Home ".Kathleen Willey.Archived fromthe originalon July 31, 2017.RetrievedJanuary 18,2016.
  25. ^Tumulty, Karen; Sellers, Frances Stead (January 6, 2016)."The Bill Clinton scandal machine revs back up and takes aim at his wife".The Washington Post.ISSN0190-8286.RetrievedJanuary 18,2016.
  26. ^"In an exclusive interview, Kathleen Willey discusses what it's like to be at ground zero in one of the biggest political and sex scandals of the century".Style Weekly.RetrievedJanuary 18,2016.
  27. ^Stack, Liam (October 9, 2016)."Donald Trump Featured Paula Jones and 2 Other Women Who Accused Bill Clinton of Sexual Assault".The New York Times.RetrievedOctober 11,2016.
  28. ^Zeleny, Jeff (October 10, 2016)."Trump appears with Bill Clinton accusers before debate".CNN.RetrievedOctober 11,2016.
  29. ^Horowitz, Jeff (October 10, 2016)."Trump Ally Paid Sexual Assault Victim Critical of Clinton".ABC.RetrievedOctober 11,2016.
  30. ^Goldstein, Amy (March 19, 1998)."Discrepancies Emerging on Both Sides of Willey Story".Washington Post.RetrievedNovember 14,2017.
  31. ^"Kathleen's Story – Part 3".Style Weekly.Richmond, Virginia. July 13, 1999.RetrievedFebruary 18,2014.
  32. ^Roop, Jason (February 20, 2008)."Kathleen's Crusade".Style Weekly.RetrievedFebruary 18,2014.
  33. ^"Here's what happened to" Impeachment's "Kathleen Willey".Newsweek.September 21, 2021.RetrievedSeptember 28,2022.

External links[edit]

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