Judge holds Clinton in contempt

The judge's finding, a civil rather than criminal ruling, orders Clinton to pay Jones "any reasonable expenses including attorneys' fees caused by his willful failure to obey this court's discovery orders."

U.S. District Judge Susan Webber Wright said she would delay enforcement for 30 days to give Clinton an opportunity to ask for a hearing or file a notice of appeal. The ruling stemmed from Clinton's sworn statement in the Jones case that he didn't have a sexual relationship with the former White House intern.

Wright said in her ruling, "The record demonstrates by clear and convincing evidence that the president responded to plaintiffs' questions by giving false, misleading and evasive answers that were designed to obstruct the judicial process."

"The court takes no pleasure whatsoever in holding this nation's president in contempt of court," the judge said. Wright said Jones was entitled to information regarding any state or federal employee with whom the president had or proposed to have sexual relations.

In his deposition in the Jones case, Clinton said: "I have never had sexual relations with Monica Lewinsky." After the president's DNA was found on a dress belonging to Lewinsky, he acknowledged an "inappropriate intimate relationship" with her before a federal grand jury last Aug. 17 - and again in a nationally televised address.

Clinton said the relationship did not fall under the definition of "sexual relations" provided by Jones' lawyers during his deposition, and that his testimony was legally accurate.

Jim Kennedy, spokesperson for the White House counsel's office, said yesterday there would be no comment until the president's personal attorney in the case, Robert Bennett, had an opportunity to review the judge's ruling.

Wright first raised the contempt issue in a footnote to a Sept. 1, 1998, ruling in which she released Clinton's testimony in the Jones case.

In that footnote, Wright said she had concerns about the president's deposition but made no findings as to possible contempt at that time.

In her decision, the judge wrote, "It is difficult to construe the president's sworn statements ... as anything other than a willful refusal to obey this court's discovery orders."

"Simply put, the president's deposition testimony regarding whether he had ever been alone with Ms. Lewinsky was intentionally false and his statements regarding whether he had ever engaged in sexual relations with Ms. Lewinsky likewise were intentionally false," said the judge.

She directed Mrs. Jones' lawyers to submit a statement of their expenses and fees within 20 days.

If Clinton decides not respond, the court will enter an order setting out the time and manner by which Clinton has to comply with the sanctions, Wright said.

In addition to the payment to Jones, Clinton must reimburse to the court $1,202 to covee judge's travel expenses in going to Washington at Clinton's request to preside over "his tainted deposition" on Jan. 17, 1998, she said.

Clinton already had agreed to pay $850,000 to Mrs. Jones in a settlement of her lawsuit.

Wright also said she will refer the matter to the Arkansas Supreme Court's Committee on Professional Conduct to review any disciplinary action it thinks is appropriate. She referred to the Model Rules of Professional Conduct that say that it is misconduct for a lawyer to engage in conduct involving "dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation." Clinton is a lawyer.

Wright said her decision to dismiss the Paula Jones case would not have changed, even if the president had been "truthful with respect to his relationship with Ms. Lewinsky."

Mrs. Jones appealed the dismissal but the case ended with a settlement.

04-13-99