Why I Had to Betray Monica; Tripp Speaks: Woman Whose Secret Tapes Sparked Lewinsky Scandal Says Revenge Was Not Her Motive

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The woman who sparked the Zippergate scandal yesterday insisted she only wanted to protect Monica Lewinsky.

Linda Tripp, who secretly taped Lewinsky talking about her affair with the president, said her former friend had been "abused, used and discarded" by Clinton.

And she claimed the ex-White House intern, whom she decribed as "a lost soul" had become hysterical and threatened suicide several times.

Tripp said: "I believe she and the country will never understand that I believed this was in her best interest, and that makes me very sad.

"As a mum, especially wih a daughter close in age to Monica, I would hope some other mum would do for my daughter what I did for Monica despite the fact thay it looks horrible - that it looks like betrayal."

Tripp was speaking for the first time about the scandal which has rocked America for the last 13 months.

Last summer, Lewinsky told the grand jury she now hated her ex-colleague - but Tripp said she was still …