Sister Disputes Clinton Accuser -- Paula Jones `Smelled Money,' Sibling Says Of Lawsuit Filed Today

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - A sister of Paula Corbin Jones challenged her contention that she had been sexually harassed by Bill Clinton in 1991, saying that Jones told her this year she "smelled money" if she made public her allegations against the president.

Jones, 27, a former Arkansas state employee, today filed a $700,000 lawsuit against the president in U.S. District Court here.

Clinton's attorney, Robert Bennett, said in Washington today, "It is tabloid trash with a legal caption on it."

At the White House, Clinton said: "I'm not going to dignify this by commenting on it."

Joseph Cammarata, an attorney for Jones, said his client will donate to charity any damages she wins beyond her legal costs.

Bennett earlier had characterized the suit as about money and book contracts and radio and television appearances. That will all become very clear before this litigation is over."

The comments by Charlotte Brown, Jones' older sister, enraged other members of Jones' family today. They accused Brown of making her statements in response to White House pressure.

Brown, in a live interview on a Little Rock TV station, acknow- ledged that Jones had told her in 1991 that then-Gov. Clinton propositioned her in a Little Rock hotel room almost immediately after it happened and that she turned down the request. But rather than being emotionally upset about the incident, Brown said that Jones appeared "thrilled" about the encounter.

"I don't believe in all my heart it was sexual harassment," Brown said during the interview. She also said that when she discussed the matter with Jones earlier this year, before a Washington news conference in which Jones first made her allegations, Jones told her "whichever way it went, it smelled money."

But Lydia Cathay, Jones' younger sister, angrily accused Brown of fabricating her account of the incident in response to pressure.

Brown said she had not been contacted by Clinton's lawyers and made her comments only because a local TV station "asked me."

Until recently, Jones' lawyers had counted Brown as one of six potential witnesses who could support her allegations against Clinton.

Brown last February said her sister had stopped by her house after work on the day of the alleged incident, May 8, 1991, and told her that while working at the state-sponsored conference that day, "this guard came up to her and told her that Bill Clinton wanted to see her." Jones said she met Clinton, who then asked her to perform a sexual act, and she refused, Brown said.

At that interview, Brown said Jones "really didn't act nervous" and described her as relating the account in a "matter-of-fact" fashion rather than acting as if she were thrilled.

Jones, a former $10,270-a-year clerical worker for the Arkansas Industrial Development Commission, had charged in a news conference last Feb. 11 that Clinton made unwelcome advances toward her during a brief encounter in a hotel room.

Jones, who said she was approached by a state trooper and asked to meet Clinton in a hotel suite, said she did not report the incident at the time because she feared losing her job.

Jones' suit also named state trooper Danny Ferguson as a defendant. Jones has alleged Ferguson, then a member of Clinton's gubernatorial security detail, approached her and directed her to the hotel room where she met Clinton.

Jones' allegations have received increased news media and public attention in recent days, and this week, the White House said Clinton had hired Bennett and Little Rock attorney Stephen Engstrom to defend him against Jones' suit.

Bennett, asked if he had negotiated with Jones' lawyers before the suit, said today: "There were discussions but I would not call them negotiations. Our position was essentially that the president would not apologize for something he did not do.

"Previously, there was an attempt to get money, which was rejected. And you know, the president adamantly denies that this incident occurred and we will vigorously contest this case," Bennett said.

Bennett rebuffed a query about whether he was prepared to have Clinton deny under oath that the alleged incident took place.

"That's a very premature question," Clinton's attorney said. Speculating on the chances of Clinton ever appearing in court, Bennett added, "I don't think (that) is going to happen."