Final answer:
The Monica Lewinsky scandal became public through Linda Tripp's recordings of her conversations with Lewinsky about Lewinsky's affair with President Bill Clinton, which were then given to independent counsel Ken Starr.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Monica Lewinsky scandal began when Linda Tripp, a former White House employee, provided tape recordings to independent counsel Ken Starr. These recordings featured her conversations with Monica Lewinsky, a former White House intern, discussing Lewinsky's sexual relationship with President Bill Clinton. The scandal became public knowledge through these recordings, which were a crucial part of the evidence gathered during Starr's investigation into Clinton's conduct, suggested by the mention of allegations involving Clinton and Lewinsky following the Paula Jones affair.
Linda Tripp's role in recording Lewinsky's confidential confessions and then sharing them with a government official effectively initiated the public awareness of the affair. Despite President Clinton's initial denial and subsequent admission under oath to having an inappropriate relationship, the key factor that turned the private indiscretion into a public scandal was Tripp's decision to reveal the information to the legal authorities.