July 29, 1999
Web posted at: 2:00 p.m. EDT (1800 GMT)

WASHINGTON (AllPolitics, July 29) -- A federal judge has ordered President Bill Clinton to pay $90,686 for giving false testimony in the civil sexual harassment lawsuit filed against him by Paula Jones.

U.S. District Court Judge Susan Webber Wright's office issued the fine Thursday. She had held the president in contempt of court in April, ruling that Clinton intentionally gave false testimony during his deposition in Jones' suit.

Clinton did not elect to fight the ruling, agreeing instead to pay the court $1,202 for expenses associated with a deposition and for "reasonable costs incurred by plaintiffs" as a result of his actions.

The firm of Radar, Campbell, Fisher and Pike, which represented Jones, asked for $437,825. In addition, John W. Whitehead and the Rutherford Institute, a conservative group that paid some of Jones' legal bills, asked for $58,533.03. Clinton's attorney, Bob Bennett, objected saying the amounts were excessive.

Wright ruled that in addition to the $1,202 paid to the court, Clinton will pay $79,999 to Radar, Campbell, Fisher and Pike. He was also ordered to pay $9,484.93 to Whitehead and the Rutherford Institute.

In her order, Wright said Jones' lawyers' claims were "excessive and must be reduced." Clinton's lawyers had argued that he should pay them no more than $33,737.

"Sanctions are being imposed, not only to deter others who might consider emulating the president's misconduct, but to compensate the plaintiff by requiring that the president pay her any reasonable fees and expenses caused by his willful failure to obey this court's discovery orders," Wright wrote in her order.

The payments are in addition to the $850,000 Clinton paid to Jones earlier this year to settle her lawsuit, which alleged he made an unwanted sexual advance to her at a Little Rock hotel in 1991. At the time, Clinton was Arkansas' governor and Jones was a state employee.

Wright ruled April 12 that Clinton gave "false, misleading and evasive answers" in the January 1998 deposition in which he denied having sexual relations with Monica Lewinsky. She also referred the matter to the Arkansas Supreme Court's Professional Conduct Committee, which could revoke Clinton's law license or impose other sanctions.

Clinton was en route to the Balkans for a summit at the time the judgment was released, the White House had no immediate official comment. However, White House sources said they were not surprised by the ruling and would pay the fine from Clinton's legal defense fund.

CNN's Bob Franken and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Thursday, July 29, 1999

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• Analysis: Tax debate far from over
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• Clinton ordered to pay more than $90,000 for contempt in Jones case
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• Security training ordered by Energy Department
• Economic growth slowed in the second quarter
• Laura Bush sees hunger for 'new kind of leader'
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• Report: Deal struck in California to end litigation over immigrant aid
• White House economics adviser named 'hot catch'
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• Liberal lawmakers clash with California governor
• Gore takes swipe at Bush
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