Sue Hartigan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: In another development Monday, Clinton's personal attorney Bob Bennett said Willey offered her autobiography to a Los Angeles publisher a month ago. Bennett told CNN's "Larry King Live" that Willey's Richmond attorney Daniel Gecker was in discussions with New Millennium publisher Michael Viner, best known for his spate of sensational O.J. Simpson books, as late as last Thursday or Friday before Willey's interview on CBS. He said Gecker had told the publisher the upcoming television interview would help market Willey's proposed book. Willey told her story on Sunday to CBS-TV's "60 Minutes" program, alleging that Clinton kissed her, touched her breast and put her hand on his genitals. Clinton strongly denied the charges Monday and said he was mystified by Willey's claims. "For a period of time right up to the Thursday or Friday before Miss Willey went on '60 Minutes' her lawyer Daniel Gecker was hawking a book," Bennett told CNN. He said Viner was asking for a minimum of $300,000, adding, "And in trying to convince Mr. Viner to do the book they were pushing the upcoming '60 Minutes' show, saying this would increase the marketability of the book." Daily Variety columnist Army Archerd Monday reported that Viner turned down the book because "It's not the kind of publishing we want to do. Further, we are supporters of the president." Viner was not available for comment when called by Reuters Monday after the item was printed. Bennett told CNN he was "saddened by the rush to judgment" by U.S. media organizations about Willey's allegations, and predicted people reading accounts of Willey's story in Monday's newspapers "may have had a different opinion" if they had known of her plans to write a book. He quoted Willey's attorney as saying that Willey owed creditors hundreds of thousands of dollars and said Gecker had been seeking a minimum advance for the book of $300,000. ^REUTERS@ Subscribe/Unsubscribe, email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In the body of the message enter: subscribe/unsubscribe law-issues
