Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Monica Lewinksy makes emoji joke about Clinton affair

‘Leaning in to her past with a nod and a wink is the icing on the cake’

Harriet Sinclair
Friday 21 May 2021 15:41 EDT
Comments
'I hope... I can help ensure that what happened to me never happens to another young person in our country again,' says Ms Lewinsky
'I hope... I can help ensure that what happened to me never happens to another young person in our country again,' says Ms Lewinsky

Your support helps us to tell the story

This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.

The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.

Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.

Anti-bullying activist and former White House intern Monica Lewinsky has thrown some literal side-eye at former President Bill Clinton with a single emoji that has delighted her Twitter followers.

Responding to the question “What’s the most high-risk, low-reward thing you’ve ever done?”, Ms Lewinsky simply replied with the eyes emoji.

Her followers immediately picked up on what was widely viewed as a nod to the affair she had with then-President Bill Clinton.

“Monica Lewinsky wins the internet today,” one follower wrote, while another added: “I admire/love/respect ML for tons of reasons but leaning in to her past with a nod and a wink is the icing on the cake.”

Ms Lewinsky was just 21 at the time of the affair, and has since spoken only about her regret over the situation. In 2018, she described what had taken place between the pair as an “abuse of power”.

“There are even some people who feel my White House experiences don’t have a place in this movement, as what transpired betweenBill Clinton and myself was not sexual assault, although we now recognise that it constituted a gross abuse of power,” she wrote in an article for Vanity Fair in 2018.

Mr Clinton’s denial of the extra-marital liaison (I did not have sexual relations with that woman) became famous after it emerged that he did indeed have sexual relations with Ms Lewinsky, and had lied about it.

He was later charged with two articles of impeachment; obstruction of justice and perjury for lying under oath to federal judges. However he was later acquitted by the Senate.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in