[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 2 (Thursday, January 7, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S39-S41]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    EXHIBITION OF ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT AGAINST WILLIAM JEFFERSON 
                CLINTON, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

  At 10:05 a.m., the managers on the part of the House of 
Representatives of the impeachment of William Jefferson Clinton 
appeared below the bar of the Senate, and the Sergeant at Arms, James 
W. Ziglar, announced their presence, as follows:

       Mr. President and Members of the Senate, I announce the 
     presence of the managers on the part of the House of 
     Representatives to conduct the proceedings on behalf of the

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     House concerning the impeachment of William Jefferson 
     Clinton, President of the United States.

  The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The managers on the part of the House will 
be received and escorted to the well of the Senate.
  The managers were thereupon escorted by the Sergeant at Arms of the 
Senate, James W. Ziglar, to the well of the Senate.
  The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Sergeant at Arms will make the 
proclamation.
  The Sergeant at Arms, James W. Ziglar, made the proclamation, as 
follows:

       Hear ye! Hear ye! Hear ye! All persons are commanded to 
     keep silent, on pain of imprisonment, while the House of 
     Representatives is exhibiting to the Senate of the United 
     States articles of impeachment against William Jefferson 
     Clinton, President of the United States.

  The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The managers on the part of the House will 
proceed.
  Mr. Manager HYDE. Mr. President, the managers on the part of the 
House of Representatives are here present and ready to present the 
articles of impeachment which have been preferred by the House of 
Representatives against William Jefferson Clinton, President of the 
United States.
  The House adopted the following resolution, which with the permission 
of the Senate I will read.

                          House Resolution 10

       Resolved, That in continuance of the authority conferred in 
     House Resolution 614 of the One Hundred Fifth Congress 
     adopted by the House of Representatives and delivered to the 
     Senate on December 19, 1998, Mr. Hyde of Illinois, Mr. 
     Sensenbrenner of Wisconsin, Mr. McCollum of Florida, Mr. 
     Gekas of Pennsylvania, Mr. Canady of Florida, Mr. Buyer of 
     Indiana, Mr. Bryant of Tennessee, Mr. Chabot of Ohio, Mr. 
     Barr of Georgia, Mr. Hutchinson of Arkansas, Mr. Cannon of 
     Utah, Mr. Rogan of California, and Mr. Graham of South 
     Carolina are appointed managers to conduct the impeachment 
     trial against William Jefferson Clinton, President of the 
     United States, that a message be sent to the Senate to inform 
     the Senate of these appointments, and that the managers so 
     appointed may, in connection with the preparation and the 
     conduct of the trial, exhibit the articles of impeachment to 
     the Senate and take all other actions necessary, which may 
     include the following:
       (1) Employing legal, clerical, and other necessary 
     assistants and incurring such other expenses as may be 
     necessary, to be paid from amounts available to the Committee 
     on the Judiciary under applicable expense resolutions or from 
     the applicable accounts of the House of Representatives.
       (2) Sending for persons and papers, and filing with the 
     Secretary of the Senate, on the part of the House of 
     Representatives, any pleadings, in conjunction with or 
     subsequent to, the exhibition of the articles of impeachment 
     that the managers consider necessary.

  With the permission of the Senate, I will now read the articles of 
impeachment, House Resolution 611.

                          House Resolution 611

       Resolved, That William Jefferson Clinton, President of the 
     United States, is impeached for high crimes and misdemeanors, 
     and that the following articles of impeachment be exhibited 
     to the United States Senate:
       Articles of impeachment exhibited by the House of 
     Representatives of the United States of America in the name 
     of itself and of the people of the United States of America, 
     against William Jefferson Clinton, President of the United 
     States of America, in maintenance and support of its 
     impeachment against him for high crimes and misdemeanors.

                               Article I

       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 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.

                               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 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 and trial, and removal from office and 
     disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, 
     trust, or profit under the United States.
       Passed the House of Representatives December 19, 1998. Newt 
     Gingrich, Speaker of the House of Representatives. Attest: 
     Robin H. Carle, Clerk.

  Mr. President, that completes the exhibition of the articles of 
impeachment against William Jefferson Clinton, President of the United 
States. The managers request that the Senate take order for the trial. 
The managers now request leave to withdraw.
  The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Thank you, Mr. Manager Hyde. The Senate 
will notify the House of Representatives when it is ready to proceed.
  Mr. LOTT addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The majority leader is recognized.


                      UNANIMOUS CONSENT-AGREEMENT

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I modify my previous request and ask 
unanimous consent that the Presiding Officer be authorized to appoint a 
committee of six Senators, three upon the recommendation of the 
majority leader

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and three upon the recommendation of the Democratic leader, to escort 
the Chief Justice into the Senate Chamber.
  The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so ordered.


                                 RECESS

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
stand in recess until the hour of 12:45 today. Before the Chair rules 
on this request, I say as a reminder to all Senators that at 1 p.m. 
today, following a live quorum, the Chief Justice and all Senators will 
be sworn in. I thank all Senators.
  There being no objection, the Senate, at 10:16 a.m., recessed; 
whereupon, at 12:49 p.m., the Senate reassembled when called to order 
by the President pro tempore.
  Mr. LOTT addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The majority leader is recognized.

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