Gov. Still Target of Libel Suit in London

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger failed Wednesday to derail a libel suit filed against him in London by a former television show host who accused the former actor of groping her during a 2000 interview.

Anna Richardson contended in her suit that the governor and two campaign operatives libeled her in a Los Angeles Times story on Schwarzenegger’s alleged sexual harassment of women, which was published five days before the 2003 gubernatorial recall election.

One of those aides said Richardson had lied about an incident in which Schwarzenegger allegedly groped her breast in a London hotel room after interviewing him about his movie “The 6th Day.”

In The Times’ story, the aide further accused Richardson of acting in a sexually provocative manner toward Schwarzenegger.

Schwarzenegger had sought to be dismissed from the suit, arguing that the British court lacked jurisdiction and that he was not involved in the allegedly libelous statements. But on Wednesday, Justice David Eady said Schwarzenegger was “not peripheral” to the case.

Eady told the court that Schwarzenegger and Richardson “are the persons best able to testify to what happened in the Dorchester Hotel in December 2000.”

The ruling appeared to pave the way for a possible trial in London, raising the possibility that the governor could be forced to testify about his allegedly inappropriate treatment of women. A trial date has yet to be set.

Requests for comment from Schwarzenegger were referred to his attorney, Martin Singer, who could not be reached.