Clinton Denies Willey Allegation

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

September 21, 1998 / 9:34 PM EDT / CBS

President Clinton in his grand jury testimony denied the allegations made by Kathleen Willey on 60 Minutes last spring. Willey, a former White House volunteer, alleged that she was sexually assaulted by Mr. Clinton, 60 Minutes Correspondent Ed Bradley reports.

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The president was questioned by prosecutor Jackie Bennett in a sharp exchange:

Bennett: Mr. President, let's move ahead to the episode on November 29, 1993, in which Mrs. Willey met you at your office at the Oval Office, the subject of a 60 Minutes broadcast a few months ago. Do you recall that episode?

Mr. Clinton: I certainly do.

Bennett: Mr. President, in fact, on that date, did you make sexual advances on Kathleen Willey, is that not correct?

Mr. Clinton: That's false.

Bennett: You did grab her breast, as she said.

Mr. Clinton: I did not.

Bennett: You did place her hand on your groin area, as she said?

Mr. Clinton: No, I did not.

That is in sharp contrast to what Willey told 60 Minutes back in March.

"Well he just touched my breast with his hand. And then he took my hand and he put it on him," she said. Willey went on to assert that the president places her hand and his genitals.

She also said Mr. Clinton had lied when he denied assaulting her in his sworn deposition in the Paula Jones case.

And then in Monday's video, there was an exchange in which the president tried to turn attention to Willey's alleged behavior.

Bennett: Did she make a sexual advance on you, Mr. President?

Mr. Clinton: On that day, no, she did not. She was troubled.

Bennett: On some other day?

Mr. Clinton: I wouldn't call it a sexual advance. She was always very friendly, but I never took it seriously.

If the president was remorseful about Monica Lewinsky and regretted what has happened, on the subject of Kathleen Willey, he once again denied the charges and attacked her credibility.