FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: MELINDA SHELTON, 202-331-0066 x767; KRISTIN ST. JOHN, x773
There has never been a question of whether Paula Jones' charges should be heard. Today's Supreme Court decision addresses the narrow question of whether the U.S. Constitution requires postponement of the trial of Jones' case against President Clinton. The Justices agreed that the Constitution does not protect even our country's most powerful elected official from a civil lawsuit based on his unofficial conduct, in this case a suit alleging sexual harassment.
From the beginning NOW has sought for Paula Jones what we have sought in all of the recent high-profile sexual harassment cases: fair treatment of the women; impartial, open hearings; and a just resolution of their claims.
We stand behind the statement we made before Ms. Jones filed her case in 1994: "We know that sexual harassers are everywhere. . . . In fact, powerful men may be more likely to harass women because some of these men treat harassment as a fringe benefit, a privilege of power. Every Paula Jones deserves to be heard, no matter how old she is and how long ago the incident occurred, no matter what kind of accent she has or how much money she makes, and no matter who she associates with."
NOW has never maintained that a charge made is a charge proven. Each of these cases must be judged individually, on its merits. NOW will not be rushed to judgment, not by right-wing attempts to undermine us, not by her lawyers or the media trying to create a "NOW v. Jones" scenario.
Paula Jones may not have been treated fairly by the media at first, but she will have her day in court -- and so will President Clinton.
Link to this press release at: http://www.now.org/press/05-97/05-27-97.html
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