Alexandria - As Washington braced for President Clinton's impeachment defence yesterday, Ms Julie Hiatt Steele, a minor player in the White House scandal, pleaded not guilty to the case's first criminal charges.
"I plead absolutely not guilty," Ms Steele, the onetime friend of former White House volunteer Ms Kathleen Willey said during a brief hearing in front of US District Judge Claude Hilton in this city just outside Washington.
Ms Steele faces four counts of obstruction of justice and lying, the first criminal charges brought by independent counsel Mr Kenneth Starr during his year-long investigation into whether Mr Clinton, Ms Monica Lewinsky or others lied or obstructed justice in the Paula Jones sexual harassment case.