Mr Vernon Jordan, a close friend and confidant of President Clinton, yesterday testified to a grand jury about why he fixed Ms Monica Lewinsky up with a job and whether he told her to lie about her alleged affair with the President, writes Joe Carroll from Washington.
Mr Jordan has already publicly denied that he told Ms Lewinsky to lie about anything. He has also said that she denied to him that she had sexual relations with the president, although she apparently contradicted this in conversations with her former colleague, Ms Linda Tripp.
Mr Jordan is regarded as one of the most influential power-brokers in Washington. He is a former civil rights advocate who was severely injured in a murder attempt.
Two previous summonses to testify to the grand jury were postponed without explanation by the independent counsel, Mr Ken Starr.
Mr Jordan went to great lengths to find a job for Ms Lewinsky while she was working in a lowly position in the Pentagon. She was transferred there in 1996 from the White House after her superiors were dissatisfied with her 'inappropriate and immature behaviour'.
Mr Starr wants to know whether Mr Jordan's efforts to help Ms Lewinsky were part of an effort by him and the president to hush up an alleged affair. Mr Jordan used his connections to secure her a job with Revlon, where he serves on the board.
Yesterday Mr Jordan, a tall, imposing figure in soft hat and overcoat, had to push his way through a media throng to reach the federal courthouse in downtown Washington. Although a distinguished lawyer himself, he brought along legal counsel for assistance.