Second judge declines to hear Clinton case

LITTLE ROCK (ARKANSAS), JULY 4. A second Arkansas judge declined to hear the disbarment case against the President, Mr. Bill Clinton, citing the same conflict of interest as a judge last week who was also appointed by Mr. Clinton. ``The court finds it must recuse and transfer the case to another division,'' said the judge, Mr. David Bogard, yesterday in a written order.

Mr. Bogard was appointed to a judgeship by Mr. Clinton, who was Governor of the State in 1980. Minutes after the disbarment case against Mr. Clinton was filed last Friday, judge, Mr. John Ward, to whom the case was assigned randomly by a computer, also recused himself. Mr. Ward noted that Mr. Clinton, as Governor, had appointed him to a judgeship in 1988.

On Mr. Bogard's withdrawal on Monday, the computer assigned the disbarment case to a third judge, Mr. John Plegge, who was appointed by Mr. Clinton to a judicial office in 1984.

Court officials said they expected Mr. Plegge to recuse himself as well. In that event, the computer would continue to choose judges randomly until one agreed to hear the case. The Arkansas Supreme Court Committee on Professional Conduct filed the suit last Friday to strip Mr. Clinton of his law licence.

The lawsuit was expected after the committee in May recommended Mr. Clinton be disbarred, the harshest punishment it can mete out. The suit stemmed from Mr. Clinton's January 1998 deposition in the Paula Jones sexual harassment case. In that deposition, Mr. Clinton insisted he had not engaged in a sexual affair with the former White House intern, Ms Monica Lewinsky. The President later acknowledged ``an improper relationship'' with Ms Lewinsky and admitted giving ``misleading'' answers during his deposition.

Although Mr. Clinton continued to insist that his answer was technically accurate, a Federal judge cited Mr. Clinton last year for contempt of court over his denials and fined the President $ 90,000. The five-page lawsuit charged that Mr. Clinton's conduct ``damages the legal profession and demonstrates a lack of overall fitness to hold a licence to practise law.''

Mr. Clinton has repeatedly said he would challenge the suit, which must go to a judge and is subject to appeal before he could actually be disbarred, and argued that the panel's finding ran against all of the relevant precedents. Mr. Clinton was impeached by the House of Representatives in December 1998 on perjury and obstruction of justice charges stemming from the Lewinsky case. He was acquitted by the Senate in February 1999, allowing him to serve out his second term.

Mr. Clinton last practised law in 1983, between his first and second terms as Governor of Arkansas. He was Governor from 1979 to 1981 and again from 1983 to 1992 when he was elected President.

- Reuters

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : International
Previous : Veterans retained in new Mori Cabinet
Next     : PLO `flexible' on statehood date