K. January 15: The Isikoff Call
In the grand jury, Betty Currie testified that on Thursday, January 15, 1998,
she received a telephone call from Michael Isikoff of Newsweek, who
inquired about courier receipts reflecting items sent by Ms. Lewinsky to the
White House.(985)
Ms. Currie called Mr. Jordan and asked for guidance in responding to Mr.
Isikoff's inquiry because, in her words, she had a "comfort level with
Vernon."(986)
After Ms. Currie arranged to meet with Mr. Jordan at his office,(987)
Ms. Lewinsky drove her there.(988)
Mr. Jordan confirmed in the grand jury that Ms. Currie expressed concern
about a call from Mr. Isikoff.(989) He
invited her to his office but advised her to "talk to Mike McCurry and Bruce
Lindsey . . . because I cannot give you that advice."(990)
In a recorded conversation that day, January 15, Ms. Lewinsky encouraged Ms.
Tripp not to disclose her (Lewinsky's) relationship with the President. Ms.
Lewinsky tried to persuade Ms. Tripp to lie by telling her that others planned
to lie: "I'm not concerned all that much anymore because I'm not going to get in
trouble because you know what? The story I've signed . . . under oath is what
someone else is saying under oath." When Ms. Tripp asked, "Who?" Ms. Lewinsky
responded: "He will," referring to the President.(991)
Ms. Lewinsky stated that she did not think the President would "slip up" at his
deposition because she was not a "big issue" like Gennifer Flowers and Paula
Jones. In contrast, she regarded herself as nothing more than "rumor and
innuendo."(992)
One of Ms. Lewinsky's friends, Natalie Ungvari, testified that, when Ms.
Lewinsky was implicated in the Jones case, "it seemed to me that Monica
was just confident everybody would say the right thing, that everything would be
orchestrated to come out a secret."(993)
L. January 15-16: Developments in the