Wednesday appealed a federal judge’s decision rejecting her sexual harassment lawsuit, continuing her fight to bring President Clinton to trial on her accusation that he propositioned her.
In papers filed with U.S. District Judge Susan Webber Wright, who tossed out the lawsuit April 1, Jones filed a formal notice of appeal.
The brief filing contains no new allegations, merely informing the judge that her April 1 ruling and earlier rulings are being appealed to the 8th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in St. Louis.
Wright said that while Jones described boorish conduct in her lawsuit — including an allegation that Clinton exposed himself to Jones in a Little Rock hotel room — her sexual harassment claim fell “far short” of warranting a trial.
The judge noted in her decision that Jones, 31, remained at her state job nearly two years after the alleged incident and that she didn’t complain to her supervisors.
Jones says Clinton propositioned her May 8, 1991, when Clinton was Arkansas governor and she was a state worker attending an economic development conference.
Jones, who now lives in Long Beach, Calif., claimed Clinton and state trooper Danny Ferguson conspired to violate her civil rights. Her lawsuit sought $525,000 in damages, plus additional penalties a jury would see fit to grant.
The 8th Circuit has overturned Wright before in this case. In 1994, Wright ruled that Clinton would not have to stand trial until after he left office, but the appellate court and the U.S. Supreme Court later ruled that that decision was wrong.