Allred Isn’t Blackballed, CNN Says

After a wave of Los Angeles radio talk-show interviews with Gloria Allred over the weekend, CNN on Tuesday denied the feminist attorney’s charge that she had been banned from the cable news network for her criticism of President Clinton. Allred first made the claims Sunday on her KABC-AM (790) talk show and in a series of other radio interviews.

Allred has been a frequent guest on CNN in its 18 years on the air; in an interview with The Times, she said that by her estimate she has appeared on various CNN shows at least twice a month in recent years. But she said that until last month, CNN’s bookers hadn’t asked for her since late August, when she was on the channel with her call for Clinton to resign, claiming that he lied under oath in the Paula Corbin Jones case. She was one of the few feminists to make such a public stand. She also filed a friend of the court brief in Jones’ sexual harassment suit against Clinton.

Last month, a booker for a CNN show, which she declined to name, called and asked her to appear, and then called the next day to cancel her. When Allred asked why, she says she was told that it was because she was a “Clinton hater” and that “it was a management decision.”

CNN Executive Vice President Gail Evans said Tuesday that she called Allred on Monday to deny the charge. Evans termed the allegation “totally, absolutely wrong.” She said Allred hadn’t been asked to be a guest because “this has been a very Washington-centered story. We’ve been talking to senators.”

“I accept what she says,” said Allred. Still, there was no indication that Allred was dropping her claim.

CNN has frequently featured commentators who are critical of Clinton. And on Monday night, Linda Tripp, whose tape recordings of Monica Lewinsky played a key role in exposing the relationship between the president and the intern, appeared on “Larry King Live.”

But Allred noted that viewers are still getting “a distorted view of what feminists feel. That’s the reason I decided to speak out.”

Evans said she didn’t know where Allred got her information, “but it was certainly not from CNN management, and I still would be delighted to have Gloria on when appropriate.”