Clinton Seeks Civil Suit Trial Delay

The White House scrambled Wednesday to block a court ruling that could force President Clinton to defend himself before the election against the politically damaging sex harassment charges filed by Paula Jones.

Clinton’s lawyers moved quickly to prepare a petition to the Supreme Court asking for another delay in Jones’ civil suit alleging that Clinton asked her for oral sex.

Lawyers for Clinton, who vehemently has denied the charges, acted after a three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Little Rock, Ark., ruled 2 to 1 that the trial could proceed.

Clinton’s previous request that the case be put on hold while he is president was denied by the trial judge in Little Rock, District Judge Susan Webber Wright.

But counsel for the president and Jones agreed that simply filing a petition with the Supreme Court automatically would result in another stay, although what would happen next is unclear.

The Supreme Court could rule on the petition before it begins summer recess in June or the court could put off a decision until its fall term, the lawyers said.

Jones has charged that she rejected Clinton’s demand for sex in an Arkansas hotel in 1991 when she was a secretary working for the state.