Bennett Says Willey Not Relevant To Jones' Case

Willey concedes the 'spin war' with the White House

WASHINGTON (AllPolitics, March 20) -- Among the 200 pages of legal papers that Bill Clinton's attorney filed Friday are more excerpts from the testimony of Clinton's latest accuser, Kathleen Willey.

Attorney Bob Bennett said the 10-page excerpt from Willey's deposition in the Paula Jones case shows that Willey's alleged Nov. 29, 1993 encounter with the president "is not particularly relevant to the Paula Jones case."

Willey made headlines last weekend when she went on "60 Minutes" to accuse the president of groping her and placing her hand on his genitals outside the Oval Office when she went to see him about a job.

At his news conference, Bennett told reporters, "I would essentially look at the fact that Ms. Willey indicates that she never made any kind of connection in any manner, shape or form between any conduct she alleges ... took place and work or penalty, and that's the heart and soul of the Paula Jones case."

In the testimony, Bennett asks Willey if Clinton "at any time ever offered you any employment or favorable benefits in return for sexual favors?"

Willey says, "No."

Bennett then asks, "Has he ever threatened you that if you didn't engage in sexual activity with him that somehow you would be penalized?"

Willey says, "No."

Jones, a former Arkansas state employee, claims then-Gov. Clinton asked her for oral sex in a Little Rock hotel in 1991. She also claims she suffered a hostile work environment as a result of rebuffing his proposition.

Meanwhile, Willey's attorney says she's raising a white flag in the spin war with the White House.

"The White House has got -- what? -- 20, 30 people working on this. Kathleen Willey cannot win this fight with this White House and we are not going to engage them in any spin war," lawyer Dan Gecker told The Associated Press in a brief telephone interview from his Richmond, Va., office.

Gecker said the White House did not release all of her letters to White House officials nor their full replies to her. "It will all come out, but I'm not going to release ... [those letters]," Gecker said.

After Willey's "60 Minutes" interview, the White House counterattacked by releasing friendly letters she wrote to the president after the alleged incident. Clinton's lawyer, Bennett, also raised the question of possible financial motives.

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