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By Lloyd Grove Washington Post Staff Writer Wednesday, November 13, 2002; Page C03

• Former Bill Clinton paramour Gennifer Flowers declared victory yesterday as the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit partially reversed a Las Vegas trial court that had dismissed her three-year-old defamation suit against Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), ABC News "This Week" anchor George Stephanopoulos and cracker-barrel plutocrat James Carville.

But the court -- which is allowing Flowers to sue Stephanopoulos and Carville for statements they made on "Larry King Live" (as well as a passage in Stephanopoulos's memoirs) and Clinton for alleged conspiracy -- suggested that her case is weak. She "no doubt faces an uphill battle," wrote U.S. Appeals Court Judge Alex Kozinski.

"I'm celebrating in my heart," said the Arkansas newscaster turned New Orleans lounge singer. "I just think it's about time. I'm extremely excited and gratified that justice is being served in this case, and I'm just anxious to go back to Las Vegas." Flowers's attorney, Judicial Watch President Larry Klayman, promised that "discovery will begin immediately" and gloated: "I wonder if this will be a topic on ABC's 'This Week.'{lcub}sbquo{rcub}"

Stephanopoulos declined to comment and referred us to his lawyer, Laura Handman, who said: "Ms. Flowers's claims have been dismissed by the trial court once before. The appeals court said she now faced an uphill battle. We are confident that the case will be dismissed again." Clinton's attorney, David Kendall, echoed Handman's statement. Carville groused: "It was a frivolous lawsuit when it was filed. It is and always shall be a frivolous lawsuit, and a complete waste of everybody's time."

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-- Anonymous, November 13, 2002