Hillary Offered $5 Million to Tell (Almost) All

There’s one way Hillary Clinton could make back all the money she and her husband forked over to Paula Jones, while getting a little sly revenge on Bill: take the $5 million book contract Judith Regan is offering her. Regan is the saucy HarperCollins editor known for making gravy with such authors as Rush Limbaugh and Wally Lamb. But, says the First Lady’s lawyer, Robert Barnett, “for now, Mrs. Clinton is not considering any book offers. She will not turn her attention to that before 2001.” In fact, some speculate that Hillary could command well over $5 million if she decides to spill the beans.

Why is Regan prepared to pay so much? “The most valuable political property is her book, if she does it,” says Regan. “Hers would be the most interesting story, both personally and professionally.” But for that kind of money, Mrs. Clinton would have to tell almost all, admits the publisher. “Not everything, but quite a bit.” Clearly Regan isn’t ruing the one that got away: Monica. Having snubbed a $4 million book-and-TV offer from Regan before the Starr report was out, Monica was offered less than $1 million for a book afterward. The deal died, says Regan, partly because of the Lewinsky camp’s distaste for another big-haired author of hers: Howard Stern.