November 16, 2004

Clinton Library Denies Lewinsky Dress on Display

Curators Say Reports of Secret Room for Satin Dress Untrue

Officials of the Clinton Presidential Library in Little Rock, Arkansas denied yesterday that Monika Lewinisky's blue satin dress is on display in a secret room at the new facility.

The library, known officially as the William J. Clinton Presidential Center, will be formally dedicated Thursday and will open to the public Friday. A centerpiece display is devoted to the attempt to remove Clinton from office, which flowed from his affair with Lewinsky. The dress became an impeachment icon.

"It's just not true. It's one of those urban legends," said an assistant director of the library, who asked not to be identified.

Reports circulated on the Internet beginning late last week that Clinton Library curators had acquired the dress and displayed it on a faceless mannequin it in a small room whose location is a closely guarded secret. The reports said only Clinton and one or two senior curators would have access to the room.

"The dress is a significant part of the history of the Clinton presidency and should be available to responsible historians and other credentialed researchers," an unnamed library curator was quoted as saying last week in some of the Internet news reports.

But library officials denied yesterday that any staff member at the Clinton library had made such a statement.

The dress figured prominently in the investigation by Special Prosecutor Kenneth Starr. Lewinsky, who was a White House Intern, wore the dress to one of her liaisons with Clinton. The dress had a stain believed to be from President Clinton's semen.

The dress and its stain became the subject of numerous jokes by television late night talk show hosts, comedians, political commentators, and satirists.

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