IMPEACHED! HOUSE URGES REMOVAL FOR 2ND TIME IN HISTORY.Byline: Steven Thomma, Raja Mishra and David Hess Knight Ridder
Knight Ridder (IPA: /ˈrɪdɚ/) was an American media company, specializing in newspaper and Internet publishing. Newspapers Casting a permanent stain on a man who once dreamed of a gloried place in American history, the House of Representatives on Saturday impeached President William Jefferson William Jefferson can refer to more than one person.
Carried almost entirely by Republican votes, the House charged Clinton with committing ``high crimes and misdemeanors The offenses for which presidents, vice presidents, and all civil officers, including federal judges, can be removed from office through a process called Impeachment. The phrase high crimes and misdemeanors is found in the U.S. Constitution. ,'' the grave offenses envisioned by the framers of the Constitution as grounds to step in between elections and 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. a sitting president. The House approved two articles of impeachment Formal written allegations of the causes that warrant the criminal trial of a public official before a quasi-political court. In cases of Impeachment, involving the president, vice president, or other federal officers, the House of Representatives prepares the articles of accusing Clinton of lying under oath Noun 1. lying under oath - criminal offense of making false statements under oath bearing false witness, perjury infraction, misdemeanor, misdemeanour, violation, infringement - a crime less serious than a felony and obstructing justice to conceal an extramarital ex·tra·mar·i·tal adj. Being in violation of marriage vows; adulterous: an extramarital affair. extramarital Adjective affair with former aide 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. . Two other articles were defeated. If convicted in the Senate, Clinton would automatically be removed from office and Vice President Al Gore Noun 1. Al Gore - Vice President of the United States under Bill Clinton (born in 1948) Albert Gore Jr., Gore would immediately become the nation's 43rd president. There is no appeal. Republicans who pushed the 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. of the Democratic president called on him to resign and spare the nation from what could be a long and disruptive trial. In a stunning effort to lend weight to that argument, the speaker-elect of the House, Rep. Bob Livingston This article is about the politician. For the Texas musician, see Bob Livingston (musician). Robert Linlithgow Livingston IV, better known as Bob Livingston (born April 30, 1943), is a Washington, D.C. , R-La., said he would set an example for Clinton and resign from Congress because of revelations that he had extramarital affairs. Clinton, 52, vowed to fight to hold the office he coveted cov·et v. cov·et·ed, cov·et·ing, cov·ets v.tr. 1. To feel blameworthy desire for (that which is another's). See Synonyms at envy. 2. To wish for longingly. See Synonyms at desire. since boyhood. After huddling alone in the Oval Office with a spiritual adviser, the Rev. Tony Campolo Anthony "Tony" Campolo (born 1935) is a well-known American pastor, author, public speaker known for challenging Christians by illustrating how their faith can offer solutions in a world of complexity. , during the impeachment votes, Clinton met at the White House with congressional Democratic leaders. Clinton emerged from what was described as an emotional session in the Oval Office wiping his eyes. Cheered by dozens of Democratic lawmakers, he said he hoped the Senate will work with him to negotiate a deal that would avert a trial. He called for a ``reasonable, bipartisan and proportional response,'' presumably pre·sum·a·ble adj. That can be presumed or taken for granted; reasonable as a supposition: presumable causes of the disaster. a censure. ``I hope there will be a constitutional and fair means of resolving this matter in a prompt manner,'' Clinton said with his wife and Gore at his side. ``We must stop the politics of personal destruction,'' he said. ``We must get rid of the poisonous venom of excessive partisanship, obsessive animosity and uncontrolled anger. That is not what America deserves. That is not what America is about.'' He stressed that he will continue working as president despite the impeachment and despite demands that he resign. ``It's what I tried to do for six years, it's what I intend to do for two more, until the last hour of the last day of my term.'' Show of support In a visible show of support, first lady Hillary Rodham Rodham is an English surname which may refer to a number of persons or places. People Family of Hillary Rodham Clinton
Earlier Saturday, Hillary Clinton had traveled to Capitol Hill to thank House Democrats in advance for their unified support. The first lady is enormously popular with congressional Democrats. She also is a savvy political operative who worked on the impeachment of former President Richard Nixon and who knows that Nixon was forced to resign only after he lost the support of his own Republican party in Congress. In the Senate, failing a censure agreement, Clinton could avoid conviction simply by sustaining a solid bloc of Democratic support. With the 55 Republican senators, it would take at least 12 Democrats to get to the 67 votes needed to remove the president. A political scar Whatever happens in the Senate, however, the impeachment is a scar Clinton will carry with him for the rest of his life, and into the pages of history. It will forever be the first thing people mention about him, leaving to later pages the questions about the case against him or the political nature of the prosecution. In that regard, he will be linked in history to President Andrew Johnson, remembered only for being impeached 130 years ago and narrowly acquitted by the Senate. Clinton's remarks came at the end of a day any American would consider sad - sad because the House impeached the president or sad because the president's behavior forced lawmakers to do it. It was a day in which an often-jarring debate over sex and lies and scandal imposed itself on a nation that didn't seem to care and didn't want to hear about it. It was a crisis seemingly out of place in a country where the majority remained content with its president, and happy with its prosperity. Undeterred by popular opinion against them, unwilling to delay while American armed services The Constitution authorizes Congress to raise, support, and regulate armed services for the national defense. The President of the United States is commander in chief of all the branches of the services and has ultimate control over most military matters. remained in action in Iraq, the Republican majority in the House said they were heeding the lessons of history and not the polls of the moment. They were nearly alone - only five Democrats voted for impeachment in three of the four articles. The House voting The House approved by 228-206 the first article, which accuses Clinton of lying under oath to a federal grand jury about his efforts to conceal his affair. Voting to impeach were 223 Republicans and five Democrats. Voting against impeachment were 200 Democrats, five Republicans and one independent. ``In doing this,'' the first article said, ``William Jefferson Clinton has undermined the integrity of his office, has brought disrepute dis·re·pute n. Damage to or loss of reputation. disrepute Noun a loss or lack of good reputation Noun 1. on the Presidency, has betrayed his trust as President, and has acted in a manner subversive of the rule of law and justice, to the manifest injury of the people of the United States. ``Wherefore For which reason. The term wherefore is frequently used in an averment (a positive statement of fact set out in the pleadings that must be filed with a court by the parties to a legal action)—for example, "wherefore the defendant says that such contract , William Jefferson Clinton, by such conduct, warrants impeachment and trial, and removal from office and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust or profit under the United States.'' The House voted 221-212 for another article that said Clinton obstructed justice in the sexual harassment sexual harassment, in law, verbal or physical behavior of a sexual nature, aimed at a particular person or group of people, especially in the workplace or in academic or other institutional settings, that is actionable, as in tort or under equal-opportunity statutes. lawsuit filed against him by Paula Corbin Jones and in the grand jury investigation. The article accused him of tampering with a witness, trying to conceal evidence and working to get a job for Lewinsky to keep her from revealing their relationship to Jones' lawyers. Of the two articles the House rejected, one accused Clinton of lying under oath when he was deposed Jan. 17 by Jones' lawyers. Several members had expressed concerns that it was harder to prove that Clinton intended to lie in that case. The vote was 205 for impeachment and 229 against. The other defeated article accused Clinton of abusing his presidential power to conceal the affair. The vote was 148 for impeachment and 285 against. Republicans argued through the day that Clinton deserved to be punished not because of his personal sexual behavior sexual behavior A person's sexual practices–ie, whether he/she engages in heterosexual or homosexual activity. See Sex life, Sexual life. but because he lied under oath about it. They said they could not and would not tolerate the nation's chief law enforcement officer lying under oath. ``A nation of laws cannot be ruled by a person who breaks the law,'' said Majority Leader Richard Armey, R-Texas. ``Otherwise, it would be as if we have one set of rules for the leader and another for the governed.'' Hyde called Clinton a ``serial violator'' of the oath to tell the truth in legal proceedings All actions that are authorized or sanctioned by law and instituted in a court or a tribunal for the acquisition of rights or the enforcement of remedies. and said failure to impeach him would cheapen cheap·en v. cheap·ened, cheap·en·ing, cheap·ens v.tr. 1. To make cheap or cheaper. 2. that oath and endanger the rule of law. Few Democrats disputed the contention that Clinton lied. Rather, they fought to censure him as a more fitting punishment, one endorsed by a majority of Americans in public opinion polls. Democrats marched out of the House in a dramatic protest after they failed in a 230-204 vote to force the Republican majority to allow a vote on the censure alternative. They said a vote of censure or condemnation would send the same signal of intolerance for lying under oath and would be a proper punishment for Clinton. And they believed they could have stopped the impeachment if the full House had been allowed to vote on censure instead. ``Censure was the only bipartisan solution to this sad chapter,'' Gephardt said. ``They disregarded the clear will of the American people.'' Republicans said censure was not envisioned in the Constitution, and they openly worried that a future Democratic Congress could decide to simply remove the censure, as a subsequent Congress once lifted a censure of President Andrew Jackson. ``A censure resolution of this president today can be erased from our journals and from our history books forever, tomorrow,'' said Rep. James Rogan, R-Calif., who represents the Glendale area. ``Censure is a remedy designed for the polls, it is not a remedy designed for the Constitution.'' THE ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT ARTICLE 1: Approved 228-206. Alleges President Clinton ``willfully willfully adv. referring to doing something intentionally, purposefully and stubbornly. Examples: "He drove the car willfully into the crowd on the sidewalk." "She willfully left the dangerous substances on the property." (See: willful) provided perjurious, false and misleading testimony'' before Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr's grand jury on Aug. 17. ARTICLE 2: Rejected 229-205. Alleges Clinton ``willfully provided perjurious, false and misleading testimony'' in sworn, written answers on Dec. 23, 1997, and during his videotaped testimony on Jan. 17, 1998, in the sexual harassment lawsuit filed by Paula Jones. ARTICLE 3: Approved 221-212. Alleges Clinton ``prevented, obstructed and impeded the administration of justice and has to that end engaged personally, and through his subordinates and agents, in a course of conduct or scheme designed to delay, impede, cover up and conceal the existence of evidence and testimony'' related to the Jones case. The article lists seven alleged actDs of obstruction of justice A criminal offense that involves interference, through words or actions, with the proper operations of a court or officers of the court. The integrity of the judicial system depends on the participants' acting honestly and without fear of reprisals. . ARTICLE 4: Rejected 285-148. Alleges that Clinton ``engaged in conduct that resulted in misuse and abuse of his high office.'' It says he ``willfully made perjurious, false and misleading sworn statements'' in his written responses to some of the 81 questions posed by the House Judiciary Committee. CAPTION(S): 3 Photos, Box PHOTO (1--2--Color) Above, President Clinton is joined by Democratic lawmakers at the White House Saturday after he was impeached by the House. Below, an emotional Clinton prepares to speak after the historic votes. Doug Mills and J. Scott Applewhite/Associated Press (3) House Democrats talk to reporters after briefly leaving the Capitol when Republicans blocked a move to censure President Clinton. Khue Bui/Associated Press BOX: THE ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT (see text) |
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