[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 155 (Saturday, December 19, 1998)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1217-D1219]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

                        House of Representatives

Chamber Action
Bills Introduced: 1 resolution, H. Res. 614, was introduced.
  Page H12047
Reports Filed: No reports were filed today.
Speaker Pro Tempore: Read a letter from the Speaker wherein he designated 
Representative LaHood to act as Speaker Pro Tempore for today.
  Page H11967
Journal: Agreed to the Speaker's approval of the Journal by yea and nay vote 
of 277 yeas to 125 nays, Roll No. 541.
  Pages H11967-68
Impeaching William Jefferson Clinton, President of the United States: The 
House completed debate on H. Res. 611, Impeaching William Jefferson Clinton, 
President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors, and 
adopted Articles I and III.
  Pages H11968-H12042
Article I: By a yea and nay vote of 228 yeas to 206 nays, Roll No. 543, the 
House adopted Article I, of H. Res. 611: In his conduct while President of 
the United States, William Jefferson Clinton, in violation of his 
constitutional oath faithfully to execute the office of President of the 
United States and, to the best of his ability, preserve, protect, and defend 
the Constitution of the United States, and in violation of his 
constitutional duty to take care that the laws be faithfully executed, has 
willfully corrupted and manipulated the judicial process of the United 
States for his personal gain and exoneration, impeding the administration of 
justice, in that: On August 17, 1998, William Jefferson Clinton swore to 
tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth before a Federal 
grand jury of the United States. Contrary to that oath, William Jefferson 
Clinton willfully provided perjurious, false and misleading testimony to the 
grand jury concerning one or more of the following: (1) the nature and 
details of his relationship with a subordinate Government employee; (2) 
prior perjurious, false and misleading testimony he gave in a Federal civil 
rights action brought against him; (3) prior false and misleading statements 
he allowed his attorney to make to a Federal judge in that civil rights 
action; and (4) his corrupt efforts to influence the testimony of witnesses 
and to impede the discovery of evidence in that civil rights action. In 
doing this, William Jefferson Clinton has undermined the integrity of his 
office, has brought disrepute 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

[[Page D1218]]

manifest injury of the people of the United States. Wherefore, 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.
  Pages H12040-41
Article II: By a yea and nay vote of 205 yeas to 229 nays, Roll No. 544, the 
House failed to adopt Article II: In his conduct while President of the 
United States, William Jefferson Clinton, in violation of his constitutional 
oath faithfully to execute the office of President of the United States and, 
to the best of his ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution 
of the United States, and in violation of his constitutional duty to take 
care that the laws be faithfully executed, has willfully corrupted and 
manipulated the judicial process of the United States for his personal gain 
and exoneration, impeding the administration of justice, in that: (1) On 
December 23, 1997, William Jefferson Clinton, in sworn answers to written 
questions asked as part of a Federal civil rights action brought against 
him, willfully provided perjurious, false and misleading testimony in 
response to questions deemed relevant by a Federal judge concerning conduct 
and proposed conduct with subordinate employees. (2) On January 17, 1998, 
William Jefferson Clinton swore under oath to tell the truth, the whole 
truth, and nothing but the truth in a deposition given as part of a Federal 
civil rights action brought against him. Contrary to that oath, William 
Jefferson Clinton willfully provided perjurious, false and misleading 
testimony in response to questions deemed relevant by a Federal judge 
concerning the nature and details of his relationship with a subordinate 
Government employee, his knowledge of that employee's involvement and 
participation in the civil rights action brought against him, and his 
corrupt efforts to influence the testimony of that employee. In all of this, 
William Jefferson Clinton has undermined the integrity of his office, has 
brought disrepute 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, 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.
  Page H12041
Article III: By a yea and nay vote of 221 yeas to 212 nays, Roll No. 545, 
the House adopted Article III: In his conduct while President of the United 
States, William Jefferson Clinton, in violation of his constitutional oath 
faithfully to execute the office of President of the United States and, to 
the best of his ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of 
the United States, and in violation of his constitutional duty to take care 
that the laws be faithfully executed, has 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 a Federal civil rights action brought against him 
in a duly instituted judicial proceeding. The means used to implement this 
course of conduct or scheme included one or more of the following acts: (1) 
On or about December 17, 1997, William Jefferson Clinton corruptly 
encouraged a witness in a Federal civil rights action brought against him to 
execute a sworn affidavit in that proceeding that he knew to be perjurious, 
false and misleading. (2) On or about December 17, 1997, William Jefferson 
Clinton corruptly encouraged a witness in a Federal civil rights action 
brought against him to give perjurious, false and misleading testimony if 
and when called to testify personally in that proceeding. (3) On or about 
December 28, 1997, William Jefferson Clinton corruptly engaged in, 
encouraged, or supported a scheme to conceal evidence that had been 
subpoenaed in a Federal civil rights action brought against him. (4) 
Beginning on or about December 7, 1997, and continuing through and including 
January 14, 1998, William Jefferson Clinton intensified and succeeded in an 
effort to secure job assistance to a witness in a Federal civil rights 
action brought against him in order to corruptly prevent the truthful 
testimony of that witness in that proceeding at a time when the truthful 
testimony of that witness would have been harmful to him. (5) On January 17, 
1998, at his deposition in a Federal civil rights action brought against 
him, William Jefferson Clinton corruptly allowed his attorney to make false 
and misleading statements to a Federal judge characterizing an affidavit, in 
order to prevent questioning deemed relevant by the judge. Such false and 
misleading statements were subsequently acknowledged by his attorney in a 
communication to that judge. (6) On or about January 18 and January 20-21, 
1998, William Jefferson Clinton related a false and misleading account of 
events relevant to a Federal civil rights action brought against him to a 
potential witness in that proceeding, in order to corruptly influence the 
testimony of that witness. (7) On or about January 21, 23 and 26, 1998, 
William Jefferson Clinton made false and misleading statements to potential 
witnesses in a Federal grand jury proceeding in order to corruptly influence 
the testimony of those witnesses. The false and misleading statements made 
by William Jefferson Clinton were repeated by the witnesses to the grand 
jury, causing the grand jury to receive false and misleading information. In 
all of this, William Jefferson Clinton has undermined the integrity of his 
office, has brought disrepute 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, William Jefferson Clinton, by such conduct, warrants impeachment

[[Page D1219]]

and trial, and removal from office and disqualification to hold and enjoy 
any office of honor, trust, or profit under the United States. 
                                                             Pages H12041-42
Article IV: By a yea and nay vote of 148 ayes to 285 nays, Roll No. 546, the 
House failed to adopt Article IV: Using the powers and influence of the 
office of President of the United States, William Jefferson Clinton, in 
violation of his constitutional oath faithfully to execute the office of 
President of the United States and, to the best of his ability, preserve, 
protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States, and in disregard 
of his constitutional duty to take care that the laws be faithfully 
executed, has engaged in conduct that resulted in misuse and abuse of his 
high office, impaired the due and proper administration of justice and the 
conduct of lawful inquiries, and contravened the authority of the 
legislative branch and the truth seeking purpose of a coordinate 
investigative proceeding, in that, as President, William Jefferson Clinton 
refused and failed to respond to certain written requests for admission and 
willfully made perjurious, false and misleading sworn statements in response 
to certain written requests for admission propounded to him as part of the 
impeachment inquiry authorized by the House of Representatives of the 
Congress of the United States. William Jefferson Clinton, in refusing and 
failing to respond and in making perjurious, false and misleading 
statements, assumed to himself functions and judgments necessary to the 
exercise of the sole power of impeachment vested by the Constitution in the 
House of Representatives and exhibited contempt for the inquiry. In doing 
this, William Jefferson Clinton has undermined the integrity of his office, 
has brought disrepute on the President, 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, 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.
  Page H12042
  Earlier, Representative Solomon raised a point of order against the 
Boucher motion to recommit the resolution to the Committee on the Judiciary 
with instructions to report it back forthwith to the House with an amendment 
to strike all after the resolving clause and insert the following: That it 
is the sense of the House that (1) on January 20, 1993, William Jefferson 
Clinton took the oath prescribed by the Constitution of the United States 
faithfully to execute the office of President; implicit in that oath is the 
obligation that the President set an example of high moral standards and 
conduct himself in a manner that fosters respect for the truth; and William 
Jefferson Clinton, has egregiously failed in this obligation, and through 
his actions violated the trust of the American people, lessened their esteem 
for the office of President, and dishonored the office which they have 
entrusted to him; (2)(A) William Jefferson Clinton made false statements 
concerning his reprehensible conduct with a subordinate; (B) William 
Jefferson Clinton wrongly took steps to delay discovery of the truth; and 
(C) inasmuch as no person is above the law, William Jefferson Clinton 
remains subject to criminal and civil penalties; and (3) William Jefferson 
Clinton, President of the United States, by his conduct has brought upon 
himself, and fully deserves, the censure and condemnation of the American 
people and this House.
Pages H12031-39
  Representative Solomon stated that the motion to recommit with 
instructions was not germane to H. Res. 611. The Chair sustained the point 
of order. Representative Gephardt appealed the ruling of the Chair. 
Subsequently, the House agreed to the Armey motion to table the appeal by a 
yea and nay vote of 230 yeas to 204 nays, Roll No. 542.
Pages H12032-39
Managers for the Impeachment Trial of William Jefferson Clinton, President 
of the United States: By a yea and nay vote of 228 yeas to 190 nays, Roll 
No. 547, the House agreed to H. Res. 614, appointing and authorizing 
managers for the impeachment trial of William Jefferson Clinton, President 
of the United States.
  Page H12042-43
Quorum Calls--Votes: Seven yea and nay votes developed during the 
proceedings of the House today and appear on page H11967-68, H12039, H12040, 
H12041, H12041-42, H12042, and H12043. There were no quorum calls.
Adjournment: The House met at 9:00 a.m. and in accordance with H. Con. Res. 
353 adjourned sine die at 2:36 p.m.