Federal Judge Dismisses Paula Jones Lawsuit, Raising Questions for Kenneth Starr Investigation

The lawsuit brought by Paula Jones against President Bill Clinton was dismissed by a federal judge in Little Rock, Arkansas, on April 1. The ruling, made by Judge Susan Webber Wright, stated that there was insufficient evidence to support Jones's claim of sexual harassment. The dismissal of the lawsuit has significant implications for the investigation led by independent counsel Kenneth Starr, which is probing allegations of misconduct involving the President and White House intern Monica Lewinsky.

Key Takeaways:

• The Paula Jones lawsuit was dismissed by Judge Susan Webber Wright due to insufficient evidence of sexual harassment.
• The dismissal of the lawsuit raises questions about the viability of Kenneth Starr's investigation into President Clinton's alleged misconduct.
• The investigation involves allegations that Clinton urged White House intern Monica Lewinsky to lie under oath, which could be seen as obstruction of justice.
• The dismissal of the lawsuit may also impact Starr's ability to compel Lewinsky to testify against Clinton.
• The Rutherford Institute, which financed the Jones suit, plans to appeal Judge Wright's ruling to the Supreme Court.
• Clinton's lawyers maintained that even if the allegations were true, Jones failed to show that she was treated differently at work or suffered a hostile work environment due to her refusal of Clinton's advances.
• The investigation is an outgrowth of the Paula Jones case, which was sparked by Jones's claims that Clinton asked her to perform oral sex in a Little Rock hotel room in 1991.

Statistics:

• 1990: The year in which President Bush appointed Judge Susan Webber Wright to the federal bench.
• 1991: The year in which Jones claims that Clinton asked her to perform oral sex in a Little Rock hotel room.
• 20 March: The date on which Clinton lawyer Bob Bennett filed a motion arguing that Jones's case fell short of the necessary standards for a sexual harassment lawsuit.
• 1998: The year in which the article from which this text is taken was published.

Sources:

• [Article from United Press International, dated 1998]