Former President Bill Clinton has officially addressed the long-standing allegations of vandalism at the White House during the 2001 presidential transition in his newly released memoir.
According to Mail Online, in "Citizen – My Life After The White House," Clinton confronts accusations ranging from theft to the intentional disabling of computer equipment.
During the transition from his administration to that of President George W. Bush, Clinton was accused by various sources of overseeing a campaign of petty vandalism. This included gluing filing cabinets shut and strategically placing obscene messages and pornographic images around the White House, which supporters of Bush claimed reflected poorly on the outgoing administration.
Additionally, there were serious allegations that Clinton's staffers had removed the letter 'W'—Bush's initial—from multiple keyboards, causing administrative disruption. A source from the White House at that time highlighted the extent of the mischief, noting that the keys were found in unconventional places such as atop tall doorways.
The General Accounting Committee undertook a detailed year-long investigation into the matter. The results concluded that approximately $15,000 worth of damage was inflicted during the transition period. Despite these findings, the investigation resulted in no prosecutions, leading to ongoing debates about the scale and impact of the actions taken.
A White House spokesman defended the administration's conduct by suggesting the condition of the White House was consistent with the typical wear and tear expected during a change of occupancy.
Further scrutiny fell upon Clinton regarding allegations that government property was mishandled or stolen. Accusations that Clinton's entourage damaged crockery on Airforce One and that the Clintons took bedroom furniture were particularly contentious.
Clinton has refuted these claims, stating that any items taken were at the request of the White House staff and affirmed that no vandalism of government property had occurred on his part or by his passengers.
Regarding the "W" keys, even though he does not recall the specific incidents, Clinton expressed his frustration, citing his intent for a smooth transition and his efforts to ensure cooperative interactions during the changeover.
In his memoir, Clinton also openly discusses his past association with Jeffrey Epstein, the financier who later faced serious criminal charges. Clinton described how he later regretted the association, particularly the scrutiny it brought upon him after Epstein's criminal activities became public.
The former president admitted to flying on Epstein's private jet, which he deemed "unwise in hindsight," and strongly denied ever visiting Epstein's private island. He stressed his complete cessation of contact with Epstein following the latter's arrest in 2005.
Clinton's memoir revisits his controversial affair with Monica Lewinsky, particularly addressing his previous public apologies. He recounted interactions with the media where he affirmed his apologies to Lewinsky and regret over the incident. Despite media claims to the contrary, Clinton maintained that he had apologized both publicly and privately, though not directly to Lewinsky herself.
He illustrated the emotional strain of these interviews, expressing his struggle to contain frustration over repeated questioning about apologies.