Nannygate

An affair in the United States from 1993 is referred to in the US press as Nannygate . The name was chosen based on the Watergate affair and the expression nanny ' nanny '.

In 1993 the position of the United States Attorney General should be filled. US President Bill Clinton had provided a woman for this for the first time. He nominated the lawyer Zoë Baird ; however, she had employed a Peruvian couple in her household who were staying illegally in the United States for about two years; they were employed as babysitters and as chauffeurs. When this was widely discussed in public and it lost support, Baird withdrew.

The second candidate for the post, Kimba Wood , whose nomination had been promised but not yet officially announced, had also - albeit legally - hired an illegal immigrant to look after children shortly before legislation was passed prohibiting such employment . As a result, she was asked to withdraw her application; she complied with this request.

About Charles Ruff , one of the few men who had been pulled from Clinton for the post of Attorney General to consider, it came out that he had not paid social security contributions for the employment of his cleaning lady. Ruff was not nominated.

Numerous similar incidents subsequently came to light, including those of Ron Brown , Federico Peña , Barry Zigas and Warren Christopher .

Finally, on February 11, 1993, Janet Reno , an unmarried, childless lawyer, was nominated and subsequently appointed Attorney General. She became the first woman in this position to succeed William Barr and remained in office until 2001.

As a result of Nannygate, the phrase “Do you have a Zoë Baird problem?” Became a popular phrase.

Individual evidence

1. ^ Johnston, David: Parts of Attorney General-Designate's Record Disturb Some Clinton Backers . In: The New York Times , January 13, 1993. 
2. ↑ Johnston, David: Clinton's Choice for Justice Dept. Hired Illegal Aliens for Household . In: The New York Times , Jan. 14, 1993, p. A1. 
3. ↑ Smolowe, Jill: The Zoe Baird Debacle: How It Happened . In: Time , February 1, 1993. 
4. ↑ Berke, Richard L .: Judge Withdraws From Clinton List for Justice Post . In: The New York Times , February 6, 1993. 
5. ↑ ^{a b} Kelly, Michael: Household Hiring Is Trickier With New Broom in Capital . In: The New York Times , February 12, 1993. 
6. ↑ Ifill, Gwen: Reno Is Confirmed In Top Justice Job . In: The New York Times , March 12, 1993. 
7. ^ Claudia Wallis: The Lessons Of Nannygate . In: Time Magazine , February 22, 1993.