ucianne Goldberg is a syndicated talk-show host on Talk Radio Network and the publisher of the internet news forum Lucianne.com

Lopez: Were you surprised that the wiretapping case against Linda Tripp was dismissed today?

Lucianne Goldberg: Not this time. When I heard that they wouldn't permit Monica to testify, that meant that they couldn't introduce the tape. If they can't introduce the tape, they don't have any case. The case was moot.

Lopez: That was last week — why did things drag on this long?

Goldberg: Well, my understanding is that Stephen Montanarelli [the state prosecutor] was on vacation. He couldn't deal with minor things like ruining someone's life while he's on vacation.

Lopez: From the beginning, was there a case here? Or was it politically motivated?

Goldberg: Well, of course it was politically motivated. There's no doubt that she taped Monica. But they tried to ignore the reason she taped. She taped to protect herself because she was being threatened — coerced to commit perjury. She was being coerced by the president of the United States, through Monica, to lie to the Paula Jones lawyers. This is just Paula Jones redux. The fallout from Paula Jones is just infinite. The disbarment thing was Paula Jones. This is Paula Jones. It's just endless.

Lopez: Are you surprised by any of the President's answers on disbarment?

Goldberg: You see the answers he's given on that: They're just doing it to me because I'm president." That's right. What better reason?

Lopez: Can anything else — legally — be done to Linda Tripp?

Goldberg: I don't know. But my gut feeling is that the only person with any grievance against her is in the White House. Monica wasn't suing her.

Lopez: Was the White House behind this Maryland case?

Goldberg: Hillary was behind this.

Lopez: Were you surprised when the Monica testimony was ruled inadmissible?

Goldberg: I'm not enough of a lawyer to know the step-by-step timing, but it is my understanding that it had to do with the deal Starr made with Linda. And clearly this judge recognized that that was legitimate immunity.

Lopez: Can the White House do anything else to Tripp?

Goldberg: The White House is capable of doing anything, PR-wise. I doubt they will make a statement. They'll have Joe Lockhart stumble out there and say something. They never address anything that has directly to do with Monica in any substantive way.

Lopez: As far as the White House and Linda Tripp go, has the damage already been done?

Goldberg: Well, remember that she and Larry Klayman still have a suit out against the White House. I think that will probably go forward, because Larry Klayman doesn't drop things.