Sue Hartigan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
Jones Says She Will Appeal
DALLAS
(AllPolitics, April 16)
-- Paula Jones,
choking back tears,
said Thursday
"despite the personal
strain on my family,"
she will ask a federal
appeals court to
reverse the dismissal
of her sexual harassment lawsuit against President
Bill Clinton.
Breaking her silence after Judge Susan Webber
Wright's April 1 decision, Jones told a packed news
conference, "I was shocked." Jones' face contorted
and for several seconds she was unable to go on.
Her husband stood and put his hand on her shoulder
and she began again.
"Shocked, because I believe what Mr. Clinton did to
me was wrong, and the law protects women who
are subjected to that kind of abuse of power," she
said.
Transcript: Paula Jones' News Conference
Transcript: Robert Bennett Statement
"I believe the grounds for a possible appeal are very
strong, and I have faith in my attorneys' advice,"
Jones continued. And while she considered the
stress on her family, "in the end, I have not come
this
far to see the law let men who have done such things
dodge their responsibility," Jones said. "I want
justice
and my day in court."
Jones' lawyer Donovan Campbell said he believed
that the appeal would take from six months to a
year. "There is no one-free-flash rule recognized in
the law," Campbell said. "Let a jury decide who is
truly responsible."
Jones' appeal of
Wright's decision will
go to the 8th U.S.
Circuit Court of
Appeals, based in
St. Louis, which
handles federal
appeals from
Arkansas.
Wright dismissed the suit, saying that even if Jones'
allegations were true, Clinton's conduct would not
meet the legal standards necessary to constitute
sexual harassment.
Jones, a former Arkansas state employee, alleges
that Clinton exposed himself and requested that she
perform oral sex during an encounter in a Little Rock
hotel room in 1991. Clinton was governor of
Arkansas at the time.
Clinton has said he doesn't recall meeting Jones and
has denied any wrongdoing.
In a statement, the president's attorney Bob Bennett,
said: "Judge Wright's decision was correct on both
the law and the facts. Her thorough and thoughtful
opinion was issued after a full review of all the
evidence developed in extensive and far-reaching
discovery.
"Therefore, we are
confident that the
appellate court will
not permit Paula
Jones and her
supporters to
pursue this case,"
Bennett said.
Campbell said Jones would still be open to a
proposed settlement, but there was "nothing on the
table."
John Whitehead, head of the Rutherford Institute,
said the institute would continue to pay Jones' legal
bills. He said so far that the conservative group had
spent over $300,000 on "legal expenses," which did
not include attorneys' fees.
Jones made her final decision to appeal Wednesday
night after meeting with her lawyers and others
representatives. The two sides met again Thursday
morning to work out final details of an agreement
outlining the conditions under which they will
proceed during the appeal.
There has been friction between lawyers from the
Dallas law firm that has been representing Jones, the
Rutherford Institute, and Susan Carpenter McMillan,
who has acted as Jones' spokeswoman and adviser.
The current lawyers have been unhappy with the
public and frequent statements McMillan has made
on Jones' behalf.
In a statement released
Thursday afternoon,
McMillan's reduced role
in the future proceedings
was clearly delineated.
"Susan Carpenter
McMillan is, and
remains, Mrs. Jones'
friend. Except for a brief
period of less than 30
days last fall, however,
Ms. Carpenter McMillan has never been Mrs.
Jones' legal agent or spokesperson, and that
relationship will not change."
And in another signficant change that Jones' lawyers
demanded their client agree to, it was announced
that "to better coordinate questions and responses
with the legal effort, all signficant media inquiries
to
Mrs. Jones, Ms. Carpenter McMillan or the
Rutherford Institute will be cleared through the
Rader, Campbell, Fischer and Pike Law Offices."
The latest guidelines seem to be in place, as
McMillan has already canceled scheduled
appearances on two CNN programs.
--
Two rules in life:
1. Don't tell people everything you know.
2.
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