Many Nonpresidents Got Jail Time for Sex, Lies and Perjury on the Job

0 Comments | Insight on the News, Dec 21, 1998 | by Deroy Murdock

How did Geraldo Rivera lose a pot of cash to attorney Victoria Toensing? The mustachioed interviewer and rabid apologist for President Clinton promised on CNBC that, "If anyone could find another instance of a federal perjury prosecution for a sex lie, especially one told in a dismissed civil case -- in other words, a case just like the prosecution of Bill Clinton -- we would pay $10,000."

Rivera suggested that only a supposedly sex-crazed prosecutor such as Kenneth Starr would recommend legal action against Clinton for his alleged dishonesty in the Paula Jones and Monica Lewinsky scandals. But when Toensing told Rivera about Veterans Administration psychiatrist Barbara Battalino, Geraldo paid up.

In a case with eerie parallels to the Lewinsky scandal, Battalino was prosecuted for denying that she performed oral sex on Vietnam veteran Edward I. Arthur on June 27, 1991. He was a patient of Battalino's who later sued her for sexual, harassment and medical malpractice. Arthur happened to audiotape some 25 hours of phone conversations with Battalino, including one where she scolded him for discussing the time they played doctor before their medical relationship had ended. As Battalino said: "The thing was that we were supposed to not have had sex until after I can't believe you would divulge that."

Using these tapes, the Clinton Justice Department charged Battalino last April with endeavoring "to influence, obstruct and impede the due administration of justice in connection with a pending proceeding before a court of the United States" -- namely, the lawsuit in which Battalino falsely denied having sex with Arthur in her federal office.

Battalino pleaded guilty and was fined $3,500 and sentenced to a year's probation, including six months of house arrest.

Battalino is not alone. As Sam Donaldson reported on ABC's 20/20 Nov. 11, former postal worker Diane Parker falsely denied taking a personal trip with Kevin Collins, a subordinate who sued the U.S. Postal Service in 1992, claiming she had sexually harassed him. After Collins won his case, Parker's false witness in a related civil deposition bought her a 13-month jail sentence.

Former University of South Carolina women's basketball coach Pam Parsons filed a $75 million civil lawsuit against Time Inc., the publisher of Sports Illustrated, after the magazine alleged in February 1982 that she had sex with a player. In a deposition, Parsons falsely denied having sex with the athlete. After Time Inc. won the case, Parsons was prosecuted for perjury. In 1985, she and her lover were sentenced to four months in prison.

These four women belie the Clintonite argument that perjury is no big deal, especially about sex. They lied under oath about sex in civil cases and were condemned to between four and 13 months of federal detention. Meanwhile, the cognoscenti demand that Clinton avoid the same punishment for allegedly committing the same crime. The American people insist that their rogue-in-chief walk away. And, like a chorus line of Rockettes, America's feminists high-kick in agreement. Where is the justice? Where is the outrage?

If Clinton gets away with perjuring himself in a sexual-harassment case and before a federal criminal grand jury, why should Americans bother to tell the truth in divorce, paternity and harassment cases? After all, they're often just about sex.

Members of Congress should keep this in mind as they proceed with impeachment hearings.

New York commentator Deroy Murdock is an MSNBC columnist and president of Loud & Clear Communications, a marketing and media consultancy.