He’s Always Been There For Clinton Now Jordan Finds Himself Part Of President’s Worst Crisis

At virtually every whiff of scandal, every sensitive moment throughout his presidency, Bill Clinton has turned to Vernon Jordan for comfort, for advice or, often, for rescue.

Jordan was there consoling the president when Vincent Foster, deputy White House counsel, killed himself. He was there lining up work for Webster Hubbell, a Clinton friend forced from the Justice Department by a financial scandal that later sent him to prison. And he was there when former Clinton business partner James McDougal was convicted of fraud in the Whitewater case.

Now Jordan, 62, a lawyer and Democratic power broker, finds himself not only connected to the latest presidential crisis but also a principal in it. Kenneth Starr, the Whitewater prosecutor, is examining whether he and Clinton asked Monica Lewinsky, a former White House intern, to lie under oath about whether she had had an affair with the president.

Revlon said in a statement Wednesday that Jordan had contacted Ronald Perelman, the New York financier whose company has a majority interest in the cosmetics concern, to see whether he could arrange a job for Lewinsky. She was interviewed, Revlon said, and was offered a position as a public relations administrator.

But “in light of today’s events,” the statement said, “the company is informing Lewinsky that it will take no further action at this time on her employment application.”

Jordan said Thursday he had been subpoenaed to appear before a federal grand jury in Starr’s investigation of this latest scandal.

“I want to say to you absolutely and unequivocally” that Lewinsky said “she didn’t have a sexual relationship with the president,” Jordan said.

He said he helped arrange job interviews for Lewinsky on a referral from Clinton’s personal secretary, Betty Currie. He said he has helped many young people obtain jobs over the years.

The president calls Jordan for counsel at all hours of the night, and they play golf together.

“The president needs to go somewhere he can relax,” Jordan said in a 1996 interview. “We talk like men. There’s nothing wrong with a little locker room talk. He knows I’m up late at night, I get up early, I’m always available for advice.”

Such is their bond that, Jordan recalled, the president once pulled him off the 11th tee during a celebrity golf tournament because “there was something on his mind.” Clinton did not apologize for the inconvenience.

“He didn’t have to,” Jordan said. “It’s part of the relationship.”