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Clintons, previously branded as Clinton Cards, is a chain of stores in the UK founded in 1968 by Don Lewin[1] and best known for selling greeting cards. It also sells soft toys and related gift products.

Key Information

It was listed on the London Stock Exchange and was a constituent of the FTSE Fledgling Index. In May 2012 the company entered administration[2] and following the closure of 350 branches, the company was bought by American Greetings.

The company was placed in administration in 2012 and 2019 and was purchased both times by companies owned by the Weiss family.[3] Clintons was managed by Eddie Shepard,[4] from American Greetings' subsidiary, Schurman Retail Group.[5]

Starting in July 2012, the company began the gradual introduction of a new store design and logo, which removed the previous 'Clinton Cards' branding, replacing it with the new 'Clintons' name.[5][6]

In March 2024, Clintons was acquired by Pillarbox Designs, parent company of the similarly-sized greetings card retailer Cardzone and gift stores as Mooch. Talks around merging the two businesses had been taking place since prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Clintons brand was retained and some stores transitioned between the brands. Pillarbox's Paul Taylor replaced Eddie Shepard as Clintons CEO.[7]

History

[edit]
Clinton Cards shop in Rugby in 2009
Clinton Cards displaying the new logos in Leeds
A former Clintons location in Putney Exchange, London. It is now a branch of rival Card Factory.

Clinton Cards was founded in 1968 when Don Lewin opened his first shop in Epping, Essex.[citation needed] The business grew to 77 shops by 1988 and was then successfully floated on the London Stock Exchange.

In 2004, the company purchased the Birthdays chain of card and party shops for £46.4 million but placed the subsidiary into administration in 2009, subsequently buying back 140 of the 332 stores.[8]

In May 2012, the company's main supplier American Greetings bought £36 million of Clintons debt from its main lending banks, and immediately called in the debt for payment.[9] Clinton Cards was unable to make the payment and entered administration on 9 May, with Peter Saville, Simon Freakley and Anne O'Keefe of Zolfo Cooper LLP, appointed as Joint Administrators of the Company. A week later 350 branches were closed, including all the Birthdays branches, and the remaining 397 stores were purchased the following month by US-based American Greetings' subsidiary Lakeshore Lending Limited.[10] That October, 12 stores were disposed of and sold to its main rival Card Factory.

In August 2023, Clintons was once again facing financial difficulties; the company appointed advisors to help it avoid insolvency and looked to close 38 of its 179 shops.[11]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
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Clintons

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The Clintons are a prominent American , centered on William Jefferson "Bill" , the 42nd (1993–2001), his wife Hillary Rodham Clinton, who served as First Lady, U.S. Senator from New York (2001–2009), and (2009–2013), and their daughter , a philanthropist and author. Born on August 19, 1946, in , as William Jefferson Blythe III, was raised by his mother, Virginia Cassidy Blythe, and grandparents Eldridge and Edith Cassidy after his father's death before his birth; he later took the surname Clinton from his stepfather, Roger Clinton. Educated at (B.S. in International Affairs, 1968), as a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University, and (J.D., 1973), Clinton entered politics early, serving as (1977–1979) and Governor of Arkansas (1979–1981, 1983–1992) before his successful 1992 presidential campaign. His presidency is noted for economic expansion, balancing the federal budget, through the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, and brokering international peace accords, such as the and the . Post-presidency, he founded the William J. Clinton Foundation in 2001, focusing on , , and . Hillary Rodham Clinton, born October 26, 1947, in , , to Hugh and Dorothy Rodham, grew up in , with two younger brothers; she graduated from in 1969 and in 1973, where she met . After their 1975 marriage, she practiced law in , founded the Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, and served as of during her husband's governorship, advocating for . As U.S. , she led the on National Health Care Reform and championed initiatives like the and the of 1997; she also authored the bestselling book (1996). Elected to the U.S. Senate in 2000, she focused on post-9/11 recovery and health policy, and as , she advanced globally through the Vital Voices Initiative and navigated key diplomatic challenges, including the raid that killed . She was the Democratic nominee for president in 2016, becoming the first woman to win a major party's nomination. Chelsea Victoria Clinton, born February 27, 1980, in , holds degrees from (B.A., 2001), (M.Phil., 2003; D.Phil., 2014), and (M.P.H., 2010); she is married to and has three children. Active in philanthropy as vice chair of the , she promotes and education, has authored books like She Persisted (2017), teaches at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, and hosts the podcast That Can't Be True (2025–present). The Clintons' collective influence spans decades, shaping U.S. policy on family welfare, , and social equity, while their philanthropy through the has addressed , disaster relief, and worldwide.

Family Origins

Ancestry and Early Life

The Clinton surname originates from English toponymic roots, referring to places such as Glympton or Glinton in counties like and , with early immigrants bearing the name arriving in America during the as part of colonial settlement from . The Blythe family line, from which Clinton's biological paternal ancestry derives, traces back to English and Scottish descent, with roots in established during the era of the ; William Jefferson , born in 1918 in , was part of this lineage and worked as a traveling salesman before his death. William Jefferson Blythe III, later known as Bill Clinton, was born on August 19, 1946, in Hope, Arkansas, three months after his father, William Jefferson Blythe Jr., died in a car accident. His mother, Virginia Dell Cassidy, a nurse, left him in the care of his grandparents, Eldridge and Edith Cassidy, who owned and operated a small grocery store in Hope; the grandparents instilled values of racial equality in young Bill despite the prevailing segregation in the South, exposing him to diverse customers and teaching him to treat people fairly. This early environment in modest circumstances introduced him to themes of poverty and community resilience, as the family navigated financial hardships in post-World War II rural Arkansas. In 1950, when Bill was four, his mother remarried Roger Clinton Sr., an automobile salesman from ; the relocated there in 1953 when he was seven for better economic opportunities. Roger became Bill's , though the union was marked by Roger's and abusive behavior toward and their later son, Roger Jr. Bill witnessed and intervened in instances of , including a confrontation at age 15 where he held a to his stepfather to protect his mother, shaping his understanding of dysfunction and resilience amid ongoing household . In 1962, during his high school years, Bill legally changed his surname to Clinton to support his mother's reconciliation with Roger after a brief , solidifying his identity. This formative period in provided a foundational base for the 's later establishment in the state.

Settlement in Arkansas

In 1950, Virginia Cassidy Blythe married Roger Clinton, an automobile salesman, and the family relocated from to , in 1953 when Bill was seven years old. This move to the resort town, known for its mineral springs and tourism, was driven by Roger's job opportunities as a service manager at a local dealership, while Virginia worked long hours as a to support the household. The relocation initially promised stability but instead exacerbated family tensions due to Roger's severe , which led to abusive behavior and required young Bill to frequently intervene in violent arguments between his parents. Roger Clinton's business ventures centered on the automobile industry, including work at a dealership in Hot Springs, but his contributed to mismanagement and eventual loss of his franchise through poor oversight and personal indiscretions. By the early , these issues culminated in significant family financial struggles, with the household facing precarious finances amid Roger's and habits, forcing Virginia to shoulder the primary burden through her demanding medical career. The family resided in a Tudor Revival home at 1011 from 1954 to 1961 before relocating due to these economic pressures, highlighting the ongoing instability that marked their settlement. During his high school years at the segregated Hot Springs High School, emerged as an outstanding student and leader, serving as , participating in the team and , and playing in the marching band. He graduated in , having developed an early interest in through local mock trials, such as defending the Roman senator , and immersion in the town's vibrant yet vice-ridden environment of dens, Baptist churches, and political discourse. This setting, blending with underlying social challenges, shaped his awareness of community issues like poverty and regulation, fostering a commitment to . Post-World War II Arkansas remained predominantly rural and agricultural, with slow population growth and limited industrialization, but Hot Springs stood out as a burgeoning resort hub in the 1950s, drawing tourists for its thermal baths and sustaining an economy fueled by illegal gambling that exploded during the decade. The Clinton family integrated into this Southern culture through regular Baptist church attendance, where Bill engaged with gospel music, and participation in local customs like racetrack visits, while navigating the town's blend of moral conservatism and illicit entertainment.

Bill Clinton

Early Career and Governorship

After graduating from high school in Hot Springs, Arkansas, in 1964, Bill Clinton attended Georgetown University, where he studied international affairs from 1964 to 1968 and earned a Bachelor of Science degree. He then received a Rhodes Scholarship to study at University College, Oxford, from 1968 to 1970, though he did not complete a degree there due to political activism and the demands of the Vietnam War draft. In 1970, Clinton enrolled at Yale Law School, where he met Hillary Rodham; the couple married on October 11, 1975, in Fayetteville, Arkansas. He graduated from Yale in 1973 with a Juris Doctor degree. Following , Clinton returned to , leveraging his family's deep roots in the state as a foundation for his political ambitions. In 1974, he joined the faculty of the School of Law in Fayetteville as a professor, teaching courses in and while preparing for public office. Elected as in 1976 at age 30—the youngest in the state's history—he served from 1977 to 1979, focusing on and utility regulation reforms. In 1978, Clinton won election as governor, assuming office in January 1979 for his first term, which lasted until 1981. Clinton's initial governorship emphasized modernization, but it ended in defeat during his 1980 reelection bid against Republican Frank White, primarily due to backlash over a controversial increase in vehicle license fees—known as the "car tag fee"—intended to fund road improvements. The policy, part of a broader initiative to repair Arkansas's deteriorating highways, raised annual fees from $19 to $43 for most vehicles, alienating rural voters and contributing to his narrow loss by about 10,000 votes. Undeterred, Clinton staged a political comeback, defeating White in 1982 and securing reelection in 1984, 1986, and 1990, serving continuously until 1992. During his second tenure, Clinton prioritized as a cornerstone of state progress, culminating in the passage of the Quality Education Act (Act 445) in 1983, which established minimum competency tests for teachers, raised academic standards, and linked school funding to performance metrics. The act reduced high school dropout rates from 30% to 20% over the decade and improved statewide college entrance exam scores, positioning as a model for southern states. Infrastructure efforts continued with expanded programs, funded partly by motor fuel tax hikes, which significantly expanded the state's network of paved roads and bridges despite ongoing fiscal debates. These initiatives reflected Clinton's pragmatic approach to , balancing progressive policies with in a predominantly rural state.

Presidency (1993–2001)

Bill Clinton won the 1992 presidential election, defeating incumbent Republican President George H.W. Bush and independent candidate Ross Perot, securing 370 electoral votes to Bush's 168 and capturing 43.01% of the popular vote with 44,909,889 ballots. The victory marked the end of 12 years of Republican control of the White House and reflected voter dissatisfaction with Bush's handling of the economy amid a recession. In his 1996 reelection bid, Clinton defeated Republican nominee Bob Dole and Reform Party candidate Ross Perot, earning 379 electoral votes to Dole's 159 and 49.24% of the popular vote with 47,402,357 votes. Clinton's domestic agenda emphasized economic recovery and social reforms. The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993, signed into law on August 10, raised taxes on high-income earners, expanded the , and cut spending to achieve an estimated $433 billion in deficit reduction over five years, contributing to four consecutive years of federal budget surpluses by the late 1990s. The Family and Medical Leave Act, enacted on February 5, 1993, granted eligible employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave annually for family and medical reasons, applying to employers with 50 or more workers and covering about 60% of the workforce at the time. Later, the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, signed August 22, overhauled welfare by replacing the Aid to Families with Dependent Children program with , imposing five-year lifetime limits on benefits and requiring work in exchange for aid, which reduced welfare caseloads by over 50% during Clinton's term. In foreign policy, Clinton pursued trade liberalization and conflict resolution. The , approved by in 1993 and entering into force on January 1, 1994, eliminated most tariffs and trade barriers among the , , and , creating a trilateral economic bloc that boosted cross-border trade from $290 billion in 1993 to over $1 trillion by 2016. The Dayton Accords, initialed on November 21, 1995, at in and formally signed on December 14 in , ended the by establishing a peace framework for , including a federal structure with Bosniak-Croat and Serb entities, demilitarization, and -led peacekeeping. In 1999, expanded for the first time since the , admitting the , , and on March 12, a move Clinton championed to integrate former nations into Western security structures and deter aggression. Clinton's second term was overshadowed by the Monica Lewinsky scandal, leading to his impeachment. On January 26, 1998, Clinton publicly denied under oath having sexual relations with the White House intern during a press conference tied to a civil lawsuit. Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr's investigation expanded, and on August 17, 1998, Clinton testified before a grand jury, later admitting to misleading statements. The House of Representatives launched an impeachment inquiry on October 8, 1998, and on December 19, 1998, approved two articles: perjury and obstruction of justice, by votes of 228-206 and 221-212, respectively. The Senate trial began January 7, 1999, and concluded on February 12, 1999, with acquittal on both counts—45-55 on perjury and 50-50 on obstruction—falling short of the two-thirds majority needed for conviction.

Hillary Clinton

Early Career and First Lady Role

Hillary Rodham Clinton graduated from with a degree in 1969 and earned her [Juris Doctor](/page/Juris Doctor) from in 1973. At Yale, she met , her future husband, while both were law students involved in political activism. Following graduation, she joined the as a staff attorney from 1973 to 1974, focusing on issues affecting children and families, including access to education for disabled youth. In 1974, she moved to to support 's congressional campaign and later joined the in in 1977 as its first female associate, specializing in cases related to and ; she became a full partner in 1979. As of Arkansas during Bill Clinton's governorships from 1979 to 1981 and 1983 to 1992, chaired the Arkansas Education Standards Committee, leading a comprehensive review that resulted in Act 76 of 1983, which raised academic standards, implemented teacher competency testing, and increased funding for public schools. She also co-founded the Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, an organization dedicated to policy advocacy for vulnerable youth, and served on the boards of the Arkansas and the to advance pediatric care and family support programs. In health care, she spearheaded initiatives to expand access for rural families, including efforts to improve immunization rates and prenatal services through partnerships with local health organizations. During her tenure as First Lady of the from 1993 to 2001, Hillary was appointed by President Bill to chair the President's on Care Reform in 1993, where she oversaw the development of the Health Security Act aimed at providing universal coverage and controlling costs; the plan, however, failed to pass in 1994 amid opposition from insurers, business groups, and political divisions. She authored the book : And Other Lessons Children Teach Us, published in 1996, which emphasized the role of community and government in supporting and family well-being, drawing from her experiences in . In 1995, she delivered a landmark speech at the Fourth World Conference on Women in , declaring that " are ," which galvanized global attention to and despite diplomatic tensions with the host country.

Senate, Secretary of State, and Presidential Campaigns

Following her tenure as First Lady, Hillary Clinton leveraged her national profile to launch a successful bid for the U.S. from New York. In the 2000 election, she defeated Republican with 55% of the vote, becoming the first to win elected office and the first woman elected to the from New York. She was sworn in on January 3, 2001. During her eight-year tenure, Clinton served on key committees including the Armed Services Committee, where she focused on military readiness and veterans' affairs, and the Environment and Public Works Committee. In the wake of the September 11, 2001, attacks, she supported the War Resolution in October 2002, authorizing military action against based on intelligence regarding weapons of mass destruction. After leaving the Senate in 2009, Clinton was appointed Secretary of State by President , serving from January 21, 2009, to February 1, 2013. In this role, she advocated for "" diplomacy, blending military, economic, and cultural tools to advance U.S. interests abroad, which included strengthening alliances in and promoting globally. A notable initiative was the "" policy in 2009, aimed at improving U.S.- relations through a symbolic button exchange with Foreign Minister , though tensions later escalated over issues like . Her tenure faced scrutiny following the , where Islamist militants killed four Americans, including Ambassador , at a U.S. diplomatic compound in ; investigations cleared her of wrongdoing but highlighted security lapses. Clinton resigned on February 1, 2013, succeeded by . Clinton pursued the Democratic presidential nomination in , mounting a competitive primary campaign against that drew over 18 million votes, the highest for any primary candidate at the time, before conceding in June after a prolonged . She endorsed Obama and later served as his . In 2016, Clinton secured the Democratic nomination and faced Republican in the general election, winning the popular vote by nearly 2.9 million ballots (48.2% to 46.1%) but losing in the 227 to 304, marking the fifth time in U.S. history a candidate won the popular vote without the presidency. Her campaign was overshadowed by the controversy over her use of a private email server as Secretary of State, revealed in 2015; an FBI investigation in 2016 found no criminal intent but criticized her handling of classified information as "extremely careless."

Other Family Members

Chelsea Clinton

Chelsea Victoria Clinton was born on February 27, 1980, in , during her father's tenure as governor. She spent her early childhood in , attending local public schools until the family relocated to the in 1993 following her father's presidential inauguration, an event that shaped her low-profile youth amid intense public attention. From there, she enrolled at in , a Quaker institution known for educating children of prominent political figures. Her upbringing emphasized privacy, with her parents actively shielding her from media exposure during their time in office. Clinton pursued higher education at prestigious institutions, earning a in from in 2001. She then studied at the , where she obtained a in in 2003 and later a in the same field in 2014. Additionally, she completed a at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health. Her academic focus on and laid the groundwork for her subsequent professional endeavors in and . Professionally, Clinton served as a special correspondent for from 2011 to 2014, contributing segments to programs like and , often highlighting stories of social impact and resilience. Since 2011, she has held increasing leadership roles at the , becoming vice chair in 2013, where she oversees initiatives in , girls' and , and . She is also an accomplished author, having written or co-authored more than a dozen books, primarily children's titles aimed at inspiring young readers; notable examples include It's Your World (2015), a guide to , and She Persisted: 13 American Women Who Changed the World (2017), which celebrates historical female trailblazers. In her , Clinton married investment banker on July 31, 2010, in an Astor Courts ceremony at Rhinebeck, New York. The couple has three children: daughter Charlotte Clinton Mezvinsky, born on September 27, 2014; son Aidan Clinton Mezvinsky, born on June 18, 2016; and son Jasper Clinton Mezvinsky, born on July 22, 2019. Through her work at the , Clinton advocates for improvements in access and educational opportunities, particularly for underserved communities, drawing on her expertise to support programs addressing , prevention, and girls' education worldwide. As of 2025, Clinton has continued her leadership in philanthropy and advocacy. She moderated a panel on the impacts of on childhood health at in February 2024. She was honored for her contributions to health and at the Physicians for Human Rights Annual Gala on October 30, 2025. Clinton is scheduled to convene the Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting on September 24–25, 2025, in . In October 2025, she published an op-ed in USA Today expressing concerns about White House renovations under President . Clinton has largely avoided the media spotlight throughout her life, especially during her parents' political scandals in the , when the family enforced a "hands-off" policy to protect her privacy as a teenager facing public ridicule over her appearance. This approach extended into adulthood, with limited personal interviews until her brief involvement on the campaign trail during her mother's presidential bid, where she stumped in key states and responded assertively to inappropriate questions about her father's past. Her deliberate media reticence has allowed her to build a career centered on substantive contributions rather than public persona.

Extended Family Influences

On the maternal side of Hillary Clinton's family, (1919–2011) profoundly shaped her daughter's approach to adversity and personal growth. Abandoned by her parents during the and raised by her grandparents and older siblings in , Dorothy endured a childhood marked by emotional neglect and financial hardship, experiences that instilled in her a fierce independence and determination. has frequently credited her mother with teaching her the value of resilience, emphasizing how Dorothy's ability to overcome early trauma without bitterness influenced her own commitment to and family advocacy. Hillary's father, Hugh Ellsworth Rodham (1911–1993), provided a contrasting influence rooted in his conservative, disciplined worldview. A successful drapery businessman in Chicago's suburbs, Rodham was known for his strict, no-nonsense parenting style, which emphasized hard work, , and Republican values during Hillary's formative years in . This background contributed to Hillary's balanced perspective, blending her mother's emotional fortitude with her father's emphasis on achievement and , elements that surfaced in her early political stances. On Bill Clinton's paternal side, his half-brother (born 1956) emerged as a figure whose personal struggles occasionally intersected with the family's public image. The son of Bill's mother, Virginia Dell Cassidy, and stepfather , Roger faced significant legal troubles in the , culminating in a federal conviction for possession and distribution, for which he served approximately one year in prison. These incidents drew media scrutiny to the during Bill's governorship in , highlighting tensions between familial loyalty and political optics. In a notable event, President granted Roger a full on January 20, 2001, his last day in office, erasing the federal conviction and allowing Roger to pursue opportunities in music and acting, including minor roles in films like The Other Woman (1995). Roger later achieved sobriety and distanced himself from controversy, occasionally supporting family campaigns through public appearances. Other extended relatives provided tangential but supportive roles in the Clintons' political endeavors, often through informal networks rather than direct involvement. Broader family support, including from Hillary's brothers Hugh and Tony Rodham, manifested in logistical aid during campaigns, such as fundraising and event coordination, which helped sustain the Clintons' extended network amid intense scrutiny.

Political and Public Legacy

Key Policies and Achievements

The Clintons' policy contributions have significantly shaped U.S. health care access, particularly through efforts to expand coverage for vulnerable populations. In 1993, Hillary Clinton chaired the President's Task Force on National Health Care Reform, which developed a comprehensive plan aimed at providing universal coverage through employer mandates and public-private partnerships, though it ultimately did not pass Congress. Building on this foundation, President Bill Clinton signed the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP, now CHIP) into law in 1997 as part of a bipartisan balanced budget agreement, targeting uninsured children in low-income families ineligible for Medicaid. As of July 2025, CHIP had enrolled approximately 7.2 million children nationwide, contributing to a reduction in the uninsured rate among U.S. children from 14% in 1997 to about 6% as of 2024. Hillary Clinton later advocated strongly for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) during her time as Secretary of State and in her presidential campaigns, influencing its design by emphasizing protections for women and children, such as no-cost preventive services, and defending it against repeal efforts to preserve coverage for over 20 million Americans. Economically, the Clinton administration achieved notable bipartisan successes in and job creation. Under President , the U.S. federal budget recorded surpluses from 1998 to 2001—the first since 1969—totaling $559 billion, driven by a combination of increases, spending restraint, and that reduced deficits from $290 billion in 1992. This era saw the creation of about 22.5 million jobs between 1993 and 2001, with falling to 4% by 2000 and the expanding at an average annual rate of 4%, fostering broad-based prosperity across party lines. supported these economic frameworks during her tenure and later campaigns, linking them to broader goals like paid family leave to sustain workforce participation. On the global stage, the Clintons advanced health and rights initiatives through diplomacy and philanthropy, yielding lasting bipartisan and international impacts. The Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), launched in 2002 under the Clinton Foundation, has focused on HIV/AIDS in Africa, negotiating lower drug prices and expanding access to treatment; by 2025, CHAI efforts enabled over 22 million people in low- and middle-income countries, primarily in sub-Saharan Africa, to receive optimal antiretroviral therapy, contributing to a 64% decline in AIDS-related deaths since 2004. As Secretary of State from 2009 to 2013, Hillary Clinton elevated women's rights as a cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy, integrating gender equality into the Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review and launching initiatives like the Equal Futures Partnership to promote women's political and economic participation in over 15 countries. Complementing these, the Clinton Foundation's 2025 Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) annual meeting highlighted climate resilience projects, securing 106 new commitments for urban decarbonization, clean energy transitions, and regenerative agriculture in vulnerable communities worldwide.

Controversies and Criticisms

The Whitewater scandal involved a investment venture, Development Corporation, formed in 1978 by Bill and alongside James and in . The project, linked to the failed Madison Guaranty Savings and Loan institution owned by the McDougals, led to allegations of financial impropriety, including overdrafts on Whitewater accounts covered by Madison Guaranty funds in the 1980s. Investigations began in 1992 after media reports during Bill Clinton's presidential campaign, prompting referrals from the that named the Clintons as witnesses but not suspects in potential . A Special Committee from 1995 to 1996 examined document handling, including the disappearance and reappearance of 's billing records related to Madison Guaranty in 1995, and found evidence of interference but no direct criminal wrongdoing by the Clintons. Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr's probe, expanded in 1994, resulted in convictions of associates like the McDougals and Governor for fraud in 1996, but the Clintons faced no charges despite reputational damage that lingered into the 1990s. The Monica Lewinsky affair, involving an inappropriate relationship between President Bill Clinton and White House intern Monica Lewinsky from 1995 to 1997, escalated into a major scandal in 1998 after revelations from taped conversations. Clinton's denial of the affair in a January 17, 1998, deposition for the Paula Jones sexual harassment lawsuit led to perjury charges, as he falsely stated under oath that he had no sexual relations with Lewinsky and attempted to influence her testimony. On August 17, 1998, Clinton admitted to misleading the public and testified before a grand jury, prompting Independent Counsel Starr's referral to Congress. The House impeached Clinton on December 19, 1998, on two articles: perjury before the grand jury (228-206 vote) and perjury in the Jones deposition (221-212 vote), though obstruction of justice failed. The Senate acquitted him on February 12, 1999, with votes of 45-55 and 50-50, respectively, allowing him to complete his term. The scandal strained Hillary Clinton's public image, yet she supported her husband publicly and launched her successful 2000 Senate campaign in New York amid the fallout, framing it as a personal matter rather than a barrier to her political ambitions. Hillary Clinton's use of a private server during her 2009-2013 tenure as sparked controversy in 2015 after reports revealed she conducted official business through a non-government domain. The FBI investigation, initiated in 2015 following a referral from the Intelligence Community Inspector General, examined over 30,000 emails and found 110 in 52 chains contained at the time, including eight emails, though none were properly marked as such when sent. Director described her handling of sensitive information as "extremely careless," noting potential vulnerabilities to hacking but no evidence of intentional misconduct or systemic intrusion. On July 5, 2016, Comey recommended no criminal charges, stating no reasonable prosecutor would pursue a case based on precedent and evidence. The issue persisted into the 2016 presidential campaign, contributing to perceptions of transparency lapses despite the non-indictment. The , which killed U.S. Ambassador and three others, led to intense scrutiny of Hillary Clinton's State Department leadership, culminating in 2015 congressional hearings. The House Select Committee on Benghazi, formed in 2014, investigated security failures, response delays, and messaging, reviewing over 75,000 pages of documents including Clinton's emails. In her October 22, 2015, testimony lasting over 11 hours, Clinton defended the department's actions, acknowledging Libya's security risks but attributing lapses to systemic issues rather than personal oversight. The committee criticized discrepancies between Clinton's private recognition of a terrorist attack and initial public statements linking it to an anti-video , but found no evidence of deliberate wrongdoing or new accountability for her role. The final 2016 report highlighted broader failures in security requests and military response coordination but did not recommend charges against Clinton. Ethical questions surrounded the Clinton Foundation's acceptance of foreign donations during Hillary Clinton's time as and into her campaign, raising concerns. The foundation received millions from governments like ($10-25 million), the , , and others between 2009 and 2013, coinciding with U.S. decisions involving those nations. Internal emails revealed Clinton aides' worries about donor access to the State Department, including a 2009 request from a foundation donor for assistance on a Nigerian project. In , over half of the foundation's major donors would have been barred under proposed rules for federal employees' relatives, amplifying criticisms of potential conflicts despite pledges to limit foreign contributions if Hillary were elected. These controversies have contributed to enduring partisan divides in American , with Republican-led investigations intensifying distrust of the Clintons and fueling narratives of elite corruption that persist into the . By 2024, reflections on scandals like Lewinsky and the emails highlighted how they accelerated polarization, embedding personal attacks into electoral strategies and complicating bipartisan cooperation.

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