Clinton denies propositioning Paula Jones
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Posted: Sat Jul 05 1997 IST
LITTLE ROCK (ARKANSAS), July 4: US President Bill Clinton has responded to Paula Jones' sexual harassment suit, "adamantly'' denying her claims that he propositioned her in a Little Rock hotel room when he was Governor in 1991.
The US President said he does not recall ever meeting Jones and denies each and every allegation set forth in her complaint filed in May 1994. She says Clinton exposed himself to her during a state economic conference.Clinton sought to delay action in the trial until after his term expires, but the US Supreme Court in May ordered it to proceed.
In his court filing, Clinton asked US district judge Susan Webber Wright a former law student of his, to dismiss the suit. He said jones' suit:Fails to illustrate that he violated her equal protection rights under the Constitution.Fails to allege "essential elements'' of a claim for intentional infliction of emotional distress.Is founded on statements that are absolutely privileged and fails to allege defamation.
Clinton's attorneys also asked for a conference with the judge to consider a plan to begin "discovery'', the process by which opposing parties take a look at the other side's evidence. While some discovery could begin soon, Clinton's court response asked that substantive matters be put off until after the court considers his request that the suit be tossed out.