Two More Clinton Appointees Decline to Hear Disbarment Case

Source: Associated Press
Published: Jul. 3, 2000 | 7:49 p.m. Author: JAMES JEFFERSON

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) -- Two more judges said Monday they would not hear the lawsuit seeking President Clinton's disbarment, increasing the chance the case could fall to a recent appointee of Republican Gov. Mike Huckabee, who has harshly criticized the president's sexual misconduct.

A total of three judges appointed by Clinton when he was Arkansas governor have now declined to hear a state Supreme Court committee's lawsuit to strip the president of his license to practice law. The three judges all said they acted to avoid the appearance of partiality.

Of the four remaining circuit judges for Pulaski County, two hear civil cases -- Judge Chris Piazza, who was assigned the case Monday, and Judge Leon Johnson.

Piazza, a Democrat and former local prosecutor, won election to the bench in the early 1990s. Johnson was appointed by Huckabee on June 2 to fill a vacancy through December. Piazza was out of his office on vacation Monday and could not be located for comment.

The lawsuit alleges that deceptive answers Clinton gave under oath in the Paula Jones sexual harassment case about his relationship with Monica Lewinsky made him unfit to be a lawyer. The president's lawyer, David Kendall, has said Clinton will fight the case vigorously.

Huckabee has been reserved through a string of Clinton controversies, but the Baptist preacher reacted with indignation when Clinton admitted to an affair with the former White House intern.

``Either Bill Clinton lives under different rules than the rest of us, or America has a different set of values than when it reacted to Wilbur Mills, Bob Packwood, Gary Hart, Jim Bakker, Jimmy Swaggart and others,'' Huckabee said at the time.

Huckabee spokesman Rex Nelson said the governor did not have Clinton or politics in mind when he appointed Johnson.

It is unlikely the case will be resolved before Clinton leaves office Jan. 20.

HENCH adds: Yep, Klink is now on the delay game, and when it gets to a Republican appointed judge he'll cry foul, and appeal to the Arkansas Supreme Court. Delay, delay, until he gets out of office.

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