Monday October 30, 2000; 11:35 AM ET

Broaddrick Slams Clinton on 'Violence Against Women' Hypocrisy

For the second time in the closing weeks of the campaign season, presidential rape accuser Juanita Broaddrick has publicly criticized Bill and Hillary Clinton, calling Mrs. Clinton an "enabler" and slamming her husband's hypocrisy as "disgusting."

On Saturday President Clinton signed H.R. 344, the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Prevention Act of 2000 - legislation designed to, as Clinton put it in his weekly radio address, "build on the Violence Against Women Act, which created new federal crimes and enhanced penalties to combat sexual assault and domestic violence."

"The Act authorizes appropriations through Fiscal Year 2005 for the National Domestic Violence Hotline, battered women's shelters, rape prevention, and education grants," Clinton said.

Broaddrick, whose charge that Clinton violently raped her persuaded Congress to impeach him in 1998, reacted to the president's statement in an e-mail to the Web site FreeRepublic.com:

"I saw this earlier today. Couldn't believe it. I would like to know if this bill contained small print that says, 'Everyone is subject to this law EXCEPT Bill Clinton and his enabling wife.'"

"This is truly disgusting," Broaddrick added.

The Clinton rape accuser also wondered what Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter thought about the president's comments, after reading NewsMax.com's report last week that he wanted to call her and fellow Clinton sex assault accuser Kathleen Willey to testify at the president's impeachment trial.

Two weeks ago, Broaddrick wrote an open letter to Mrs. Clinton suggesting that the first lady had tried to silence her after the alleged rape. Broaddrick implored Mrs. Clinton to say whether she believes her allegation.

With eight days left in Mrs. Clinton's New York Senate campaign, the press has yet to broach the topic of Broaddrick's sensational charge against her husband, even though polls show most Americans believe it's true.

-- Ooops (Ooops@slipofthetongue.com), October 30, 2000