CLINTON'S PLEA; ``I THINK EVERYBODY SHOULD CAST A VOTE OF PRINCIPLE AND CONSCIENCE''.Byline: Alison Mitchell Alison Mitchell is an English sports broadcaster. She is a regular part of the Test Match Special, BBC Radio Five Live and Five Live Sports Extra commentary teams. BBC Career The New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of Times President Clinton on Wednesday gave House members public leeway to ``cast a vote of principle and conscience'' on a Republican-drafted impeachment impeachment, formal accusation issued by a legislature against a public official charged with crime or other serious misconduct. In a looser sense the term is sometimes applied also to the trial by the legislature that may follow. inquiry today. But White House advisers and Democratic House leaders worked hard to draw as many party members as possible to vote instead for a more limited investigation. Clinton's remarks allowed House Democrats facing tough re-election fights room to set their own course as the House votes to begin only the third impeachment inquiry into a president's actions. He spoke as some Democrats openly complained that they were tired of White House pressure to short-circuit an inquiry. Stopping short of some Democrats' hopes that he would tell them to vote alongside Republicans and put the burden on them to be fair, Clinton told reporters, ``It's up to others to decide what happens to me and ultimately it's going to be up to the American people An American people may be:
Family of Hillary Rodham Clinton
With the House under the control of a Republican majority, it is certain to vote against the Democrats' call for a limited inquiry into Clinton's deceptions of his relationship with Monica Lewinsky Monica Samille Lewinsky (born July 23, 1973) is an American woman with whom the former United States President Bill Clinton admitted (after initially denying) to having had an "inappropriate relationship"[1] while Lewinsky worked at the White House in 1995 and 1996. . It will then move to pass the Republicans' broader impeachment resolution, modeled on the one used to begin the Watergate inquiry a quarter of a century ago, calling for Clinton to be investigated ``fully and completely.'' The phrasing of the Republicans' resolution leaves open the door for the inquiry to move in any direction. With several dozen agonized ag·o·nize v. ag·o·nized, ag·o·niz·ing, ag·o·niz·es v.intr. 1. To suffer extreme pain or great anguish. 2. To make a great effort; struggle. v.tr. Democrats still uncertain how they will vote, Democratic House leaders went from meeting to meeting Wednesday looking for Looking for In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. a way to preserve a semblance of party unity and to prevent many of their members from joining the Republicans on the crucial vote. After an impassioned and divided two-hour closed Democratic caucus, House Democratic leaders revised their own inquiry proposal, bringing it ever closer to the Republican version. The new Democratic plan calls for an investigation to end Dec. 31. It also leaves open the possibility that any inquiry could move beyond Clinton's relationship with Lewinsky should Starr present more evidence of impeachable im·peach·a·ble adj. 1. Capable of being impeached: venal, impeachable public servants. 2. Being such as to warrant impeachment: an impeachable offense. offenses on other issues. Two proposals ``You've got a Republican proposal,'' said Rep. Dick Gephardt, the House minority leader. ``You've got a Democratic proposal. Both of them launch an inquiry. The question is how we're going to do this. And a lot of our members feel very strongly that this should be done right. This is a high moment for the House of Representatives.'' Democratic leaders seemed resigned that they would lose anywhere from two dozen to 60 party members on today's vote. These Democrats are expected to first vote for the Democratic plan, and when that fails vote for the Republican plan. But beyond counting votes and reshaping their alternative, the leadership was not pressuring House Democrats on how to vote. Rep. Gary Ackerman, D-N.Y., said his party's leaders were most concerned about minimizing losses in the looming midterm election and ``don't want to drown anyone'' by trying to force party unity. As the House vote neared, a prominent Senate Democrat took to the floor of his chamber to warn the White House against meddling med·dle intr.v. med·dled, med·dling, med·dles 1. To intrude into other people's affairs or business; interfere. See Synonyms at interfere. 2. To handle something idly or ignorantly; tamper. on Capitol Hill. ``I would suggest by way of friendly advice to the White House: Don't tamper with this jury,'' said Sen. Robert Byrd of West Virginia West Virginia, E central state of the United States. It is bordered by Pennsylvania and Maryland (N), Virginia (E and S), and Kentucky and, across the Ohio R., Ohio (W). Facts and Figures Area, 24,181 sq mi (62,629 sq km). Pop. , expressing his displeasure with White House efforts over the weekend to convince 34 Democratic senators to sign a letter saying they would not vote to convict the president, should he be impeached. To his own colleagues, Byrd said: ``We may have to sit as jurors. Don't let it be said that we allowed ourselves to be tampered with.'' Clinton phone calls Clinton himself downplayed the idea that he was lobbying for his survival. He said that while he was talking to Noun 1. talking to - a lengthy rebuke; "a good lecture was my father's idea of discipline"; "the teacher gave him a talking to" lecture, speech rebuke, reprehension, reprimand, reproof, reproval - an act or expression of criticism and censure; "he had to House Democrats, ``a large number called me. I'm attempting to call them all back and I will try to do that.'' He said, ``More important than anything else to me is that they do the people's work.'' Democrats, demonstrating the turmoil in their ranks, had sharply different views of what strategy was best for their party. While the leadership worked on the Democratic plan, Rep. James Moran James Moran can refer to:
Such a stand, he argued, would give Democrats more credibility eventually to vote against Clinton's impeachment. And he argued that a partisan vote today would turn the November election into a referendum on Clinton. ``If Nov. 3 is a referendum on the president's conduct, we lose,'' he said. ``The endgame Endgame blind and chair-bound, Hamm learns that nearly everybody has died; his own parents are dying in separate trash cans. [Anglo-Fr. Drama: Beckett Endgame in Weiss, 143] See : Death for Democrats is gaining control of the Congress and I don't think we do that by playing on this field.'' Other Democrats facing tough re-election bids worried that they were facing what Rep. Calvin Dooley of California described as ``a lose-lose vote here.'' He said he and colleagues feared that siding with the Republicans would alienate base Democratic voters while siding with the Republicans would drive away independent voters. Dooley said Clinton's advice to Democrats to vote their conscience had done nothing to help with this dilemma. Democrat's dilemma Rep. Carolyn McCarthy Carolyn McCarthy (born January 5, 1944) is an American politician and has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives, representing New York's 4th congressional district (map), since 1997. , from a swing New York district on Long Island said she would reluctantly vote for the Republican plan to launch formal impeachment proceedings. ``To be honest, this is probably going to be a no-win situation Noun 1. no-win situation - a situation in which a favorable outcome is impossible; you are bound to lose whatever you do situation - a complex or critical or unusual difficulty; "the dangerous situation developed suddenly"; "that's quite a situation"; "no human for me back home, but the process has to go forward,'' McCarthy said. ``I'm not thrilled about how the Republicans have made this open-ended, but I believe the process has to be moved forward.'' But Rep. Eliot Engel, a New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. Democrat, said he strongly opposed the Republicans' proposal. ``When I go back to my district,'' he said, ``People are fed up with this. They say, leave the president alone.'' IMPEACHMENT PROCEDURE The House of Representatives votes today on an impeachment inquiry against President Clinton. This is only the third time in history such an investigation has been held. This process follows rules set down in the Constitution: House Judiciary Committee 1. Voted to recommend opening impeachment inquiry last week 3. Starts hearings to gather evidence; explores legal questions 4. Decides whether to recommend impeachment to the House House of Representatives 2. Votes on impeachment inquiry today 5. Votes whether to impeach To accuse; to charge a liability upon; to sue. To dispute, disparage, deny, or contradict; as in to impeach a judgment or decree, or impeach a witness; or as used in the rule that a jury cannot impeach its verdict. ; if approved, goes to Senate for trial Senate 6. President tried; chief justice of U.S. presides; Senate acts as jury 7. A two-thirds majority on at least one charge for conviction and expulsion from office SOURCES: News reports, Knight Ridder Washington Bureau CAPTION(S): 2 Photos, Box PHOTO (1--Color) Rep. Vic Fazio, D-Calif., speaks to the media Wednesday after meeting with President Clinton and White House staffers. Greg Gibson/Associated Press (2--Color) no caption (President Clinton) BOX: IMPEACHMENT PROCEDURE (see text) Knight Ridder Tribune |
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