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 For Immediate Release
Jul 29, 1999 Contact: Press Office
202-646-5172


Clinton gets slap on wrist from Wright

Browning appeal asks for criminal sanctions

People Who Paid Hubbell Will Likely Foot $90K Bill

(Washington, July 29) Today, Judge Susan Webber Wright issued her order requiring Bill Clinton to pay $90 thousand dollars as a result of her civil contempt citation of the President. The fine, which will never be paid for by Clinton himself, but by influence peddlers from his so-called legal defense fund, such as the Riadys who paid large sums of hush money to Webster Hubbell, is a joke. It even falls far short of the money requested by the lawyers of Paula Jones.

Another woman involved in the Jones' litigation, Dolly Kyle Browning, had requested that Judge Wright commence criminal contempt proceedings against the President, for his false testimony, and other misconduct. However, Judge Wright, in her apparent haste to end the case, refused to consider Browning's pleadings, despite the hard fact that Browning was a material witness in the case and had standing to make such a request. Nor was Browning compensated, as Jones, for the expense of having to deal with the President's misconduct. As a result, Browning, through Judicial Watch, has taken an appeal to the Eighth Circuit.

"We are confident that the Eighth Circuit will order that justice be done for Browning. That Judge Wright entered only civil contempt sanctions, and did not commence a criminal proceeding, speaks volumes about her desire to spare Bill Clinton any real punishment," stated Judicial Watch Chairman Larry Klayman. "To the contrary, Browning will pursue justice to the end, as the President and his agents cannot be permitted to walk away with a civil fine that he will not have to pay himself in any event," added Klayman.

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