ROGAN REPORTS GETTING HATE MAIL; CONGRESSMAN WAITED ON CLINTON POSITION.

Byline: Douglas Haberman Daily News Staff Writer

U.S. Rep. James Rogan, R-Pasadena, said he's been getting hate mail from around the country because he refused to declare his position on President Clinton's impeachment before all the evidence and arguments were in.

Rogan voted Friday in favor of the three articles of impeachment presented. The committee should vote on the last article today.

His silence before the vote gave rise to speculation Rogan was wavering in his position, but that wasn't the case, he said in a telephone interview during a break from the House Judiciary Committee's historic voting.

``I would not prejudge the case,'' Rogan said, and that's why he kept quiet.

``My vote is owed to my conscience on this,'' he said.

He received no pressure from either the White House or Republican leaders, Rogan said.

``The pressure I have felt is the pressure of wanting to make a decision that I can live with today, tomorrow and 20 years from now,'' he said.

While many citizens see the voting along party lines as evidence the issue is too politicized, Rogan said he's seen how some of his Republican colleagues ``have really, really struggled with this.''

Rogan said there can't be one standard for the president and another standard for everyone else. And the matter can't be put off in favor of prosecuting the president after his term expires because, in all practicality, that isn't likely to happen, he said.

``For us to take a pass . . . when the rule of law has been violated in such an egregious way,'' Rogan said, would make himself and other congressmen unfit for their office. ``It's the easy thing to do,'' he said, ``but not the right thing to do.''

Rogan represents a district with more registered Democrats than Republicans, so his votes for impeachment could be his political death warrant, he said. A vote the other way might have been more expedient, Rogan said.

``I could come home and crow about being independent and pick up a slew of Democratic votes,'' he said.

Two other area congressmen on the House Judiciary Committee voted along party lines. Rep. Howard Berman, D-Mission Hills, said through an aide that he intends to vote against all four articles of impeachment. Rep. Elton Gallegly, R-Oxnard, couldn't be reached for comment.