Paula Jones Case

Re “Clinton-Jones Case Seems to Trouble Justices,” Jan. 14:

When the people elected Bill Clinton they knew of the problems that were following him. This Paula Jones lawsuit is not unexpected, and the people knew that he may have to address the issues even as president, as would any private citizen. The Supreme Court should let the lawsuit go forward. Although he may be unavailable to the people for short periods of time, this absence is acceptable.

Sexual harassment by the highest state officeholder against a low-level state employee is an extreme, cruel abuse of power, if the allegations are true. The people have the right to know the facts. If it becomes detrimental to the effectiveness of the presidency, this would be a small price to pay to educate the electorate in the importance of carefully evaluating a candidate before casting a vote.

FRANK BAJINTING

Whittier

* The alleged incident was in 1991. The alleged victim appears to be in good physical health. The suit claims harassment through an offer, not an act. There are no discernible damages to the plaintiff, nor is there a national threat to life, limb or property. Would it mortally jeopardize truth, justice and the American Way for this lawsuit to wait another three years?

I certainly have no brief to make for Clinton, but this constant erosion of respect for elected leadership raises all kinds of questions about calculated harassment, self-serving timing, the purity of motive, who may be paying the legal expenses, etc. It even calls forth some serious questions about the role of the power elite in this country in funding all manner of surrogate efforts to mortally wound the office of the presidency for all time.

LEW GOODWIN

Los Angeles

* Sitting or standing, and whether it’s being politically driven or not, the president and all other parties to the Jones matter should be deposed now--with any judicial decision postponed until this presidency is over.

In our country, no one (including Speaker Newt Gingrich) is above the law. At the same time, we don’t want this administration or any other hobbled by our litigious nature.

HAL ROTHBERG