Clinton Pays $850,000 to Jones

WASHINGTON —  President Clinton paid Paula Corbin Jones $850,000 Tuesday to settle the sexual harassment lawsuit that gave rise to the Monica S. Lewinsky scandal.

A senior White House aide, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Clinton’s personal attorney, Robert S. Bennett, sent a check for the amount to one of Jones’ attorneys, Bill McMillan.

The money included $475,000 from an insurance settlement with the Chubb Insurance Co. and $375,000 from the Clintons’ personal funds. Clinton had personal liability insurance, and the amount Chubb paid was negotiated by the company and Bennett.

Clinton and Jones reached an agreement Nov. 13 for him to pay $850,000 to settle her suit.

Under the agreement, Clinton made no apology and admitted no wrongdoing.

Jones had said that when Clinton was governor of Arkansas in 1991 and she was a low-level state employee, he dropped his pants in front of her and asked for oral sex. He has denied the charge.

In sworn testimony to Jones’ lawyers last January, Clinton denied having sexual relations with Lewinsky. He waited seven months before admitting that his denial was based on a narrow definition of sex and that he had had an intimate relationship with her that was “wrong.”