Flynt Offers $1 Mln For Sex Stories On U.S. Leaders
10.46 a.m. ET (1446 GMT) October 4, 1998
WASHINGTON — Hustler Magazine and its publisher, Larry Flynt, offered up to $1 million Sunday for stories from individuals who can prove they committed adultery with members of Congress or high-ranking government officials.
"Have you had an adulterous sexual encounter with a current member of the United States Congress or a high-ranking government official?'' Flynt asked in a full-page advertisement published in the Sunday edition of The Washington Post.
"Can you provide documentary evidence of illicit sexual relations with a congressman, senator or other prominent officeholder?'' the advertisement asked.
Flynt said Hustler would pay up to $1 million "if we choose to publish your verified story and use your material.''
Flynt's offer was published just one day before the House Judiciary Committee was to vote on whether there should be a formal congressional impeachment inquiry over President Clinton's relationship with Monica Lewinsky.
Flynt's ad said "all calls and correspondence will be kept strictly confidential'' and it provided a toll-free number and an e-mail address for respondents to use.
The advertisement said the offer expires on May 1, 1999 "if not sooner revoked.''
This was not the first time Flynt said he was willing to pay big bucks for information relating to a controversial dispute. Flynt's adult magazine previously offered a multimillion-dollar reward for finding who he claimed were the true assassins of President John Kennedy.
In September, Flynt, whose company has announced plans to launch several new publications in the coming months, gained publicity from the White House scandal when he wrote to independent counsel Kenneth Starr, who investigated the Clinton-Lewinsky relationship, offering him a job.
"After a reading of the Starr report I am impressed by the salacious and voyeuristic nature of your work,'' Flynt wrote to Starr. "The quality and quantity of material you have assembled in the Starr report contains more pornographic references than those provided by Hustler Online services this month.''
He said Hustler Online in September had 44 graphic references to genitalia, while the Starr report had 50.
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