Clinton's Lawyer Wants Jones' Lawsuit Thrown Out

Bennett calls it a groundless, politically motivated attack

WASHINGTON (AllPolitics, March 20) -- After a last-minute flip-flop on whether to make Paula Jones' sexual history an issue, President Bill Clinton's lawyer Friday asked a judge to throw out her sexual harassment lawsuit against the president.

In 200 pages of legal documents, attorney Bob Bennett argued Jones has failed to establish any legal claim worthy of trial. He called her case "little more than a web of deceit and distortions" and "a politically motivated attack on President Clinton without legal merit that should be dismissed..."

Bennett claimed Jones has no evidence to support her allegations of sexual harassment or employment discrimination. "There is not an iota of evidence ... to support those claims," Bennett said.

A decision on the Clinton legal team's motion for summary judgment is expected later this month or in early April. The case is scheduled to go to trial in Little Rock, Ark., May 27.

Jones, a former Arkansas state employee, alleges then-Gov. Clinton made a crude request for oral sex in a Little Rock hotel in 1991. She claims she suffered a hostile work environment as a result of rebuffing his unwanted proposition. Clinton says he doesn't recall meeting Jones and denies wrongdoing.

One of Jones' attorneys, John Whitehead, predicted the judge will allow the case to go to trial. He said Bennett's response and evidence in the case shows a callous attitude on the part of Clinton toward women.

Whitehead said according to evidence in the case, "in defendant Clinton's eyes, women are purely to be degraded, purely to be chased, dominated and conquered."

Bennett's team filed the documents, a reply to last week's 700-page filing by the Jones team, in Little Rock, as he met with reporters in Washington.

A clearly irked Bennett acknowledged he had considered filing material under seal about Jones' sexual history to rebut a recent claim she suffers from "sexual aversion" because of her 1991 encounter with Clinton.

Bennett said he decided against it, though, after a media "frenzy" over the politically risky strategy.

"President Bill Clinton has less rights than any citizen of the United States," Bennett complained.

Asked whether he thought Jones' claim of "sexual aversion" was a joke, Bennett said, "I would say it is a big joke." He questioned the credentials of a therapist who examined Jones and noted examination only occurred last month, seven years after the alleged incident with Clinton(544K wav sound).

Bennett urged reporters to carefully read his cross-examinations in the documents and think about the motives of Jones' witnesses.

"I think if you're going to be fair to our president, you owe him at least that," Bennett said.

Reporters grilled Bennett about his decision not to raise the sexual history issue. On Thursday, Bennett wrote Judge Susan Webber Wright that his filing would include "sensitive information of a sexual nature about Paula Jones," but he would not make that information public.

But Friday morning before the filing, Bennett's office issued a statement saying, "There is nothing in this filing that will be released, or under seal, concerning Paula Jones' sex life."

Bennett denied reversing course, calling that "press-inspired nonsense."

But his Thursday letter was unambiguous on the point. "As to sensitive information of a sexual nature about Paula Jones, we will, in contrast to plaintiff, file this material under seal even though plaintiff has now placed her sexual conduct directly at issue with a brand new claim of alleged 'sexual aversion' injury," the letter said.

Jones' team gave Bennett an opening to raise Jones' sexual history last week when, as part of its 700-page filing, it submitted an affidavit by an Arizona sex therapist Patrick J. Carnes, who spent 3 1/2 hours with Jones and her family in February.

In his affidavit, Carnes said Jones exhibits symptoms of "severe emotional distress," "extreme anxiety," "intrusive thoughts and memories" and "sexual aversion" as a result of her 1991 encounter with Clinton. Read the affidavit.

Bennett's statement said his original letter to the judge reflected consideration of how best to rebut that claim of "sexual aversion."

Sources say Bennett is prepared, if the case goes to trial, to offer evidence of Jones' sexual history after the alleged May 1991 incident, as a rebuttal to her claim of suffering sexual aversion.

Included in this material would be references to relationships she had after May 1991, including her current marriage and the birth of her two children, sources tell CNN.

Bennett said he thinks chances of an out-of-court settlement are slim. "I will never say never," he said, but called prospects "most unlikely."

No comment from Jones

Before the filing, Jones' husband said his wife would not make any comments on the reports her sexual history might be called into question as part of Clinton's defense. Steve Jones spoke to CNN over a security intercom at the couple's Long Beach, Calif., condominium.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Friday March 20, 1998

• Clinton's Lawyer Wants Jones' Lawsuit Thrown Out
• Bennett Flip-Flops On Jones' Sexual Past
• White House Scandal At A Glance
• Washington Lobbying Tops $1.2 Billion A Year
• Bennett Says Willey Not Relevant To Jones' Case

Poll:
• Public Divided On Willey's Credibility