Richard WarnickTen Years Ago, Impeachment Was On The Table
Just a quick stroll through Memory Lane, to compare with the refusal of House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers to hold hearings on President Bush’s articles of impeachment. Excerpted from The Clinton Impeachment, a Basic Chronology.
Note that the entire impeachment process took just a little over three months from the day the House Judiciary Committee voted to open an inquiry until the Senate wrapped up the impeachment trial.
Jan. 17, 1998: Clinton gives his deposition in the Paula Jones lawsuit, in which he denies having a sexual relationship with Monica Lewinsky.
April 1, 1998: Judge Susan Webber Wright dismisses the Paula Jones case before it goes to trial.
September 9, 1998: Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr releases his report to Congress. The House votes to make the 445-page report public.
October 5, 1998: The House Judiciary Committee votes to launch a congressional impeachment inquiry against President Clinton.
October 8, 1998: The House of Representatives vote for impeachment proceedings to begin against Clinton.
November 13, 1998: Paula Jones drops her sexual harassment appeal against President Clinton in return for $850,000. The President makes no apology or admission of guilt.
December 11, 1998: The House Judiciary Committee approves three articles of impeachment on a 21-16 party line vote, passing them to the full House of Representatives. The three articles accuse Clinton of lying to a grand jury, committing perjury by denying he had sexual relations with Monica Lewinsky, and obstructing justice.
December 12, 1998: The committee approves a fourth article of impeachment on a party-line vote, accusing Clinton of abusing power in a direct parallel to Watergate-era language.
December 19, 1998: President Clinton is impeached as the Republican controlled House approves two of the four proposed articles of impeachment by narrow partisan majorities: 228-206 and 221-212.
January 7, 1999: The Senate formally begins the impeachment trial of President Bill Clinton on two charges of perjury and obstruction of justice.
January 14, 1999: Thirteen House prosecutors begin a three-day opening statement, laying out the case for the Senate to convict President Clinton and remove him from office.
January 19, 1999: President Clinton’s legal team begins a three-day defense of the president.
January 22, 1999: Senators begin two days of questioning of the prosecution and defense teams, passing written queries through Chief Justice William Rehnquist.
January 27, 1999: In twin, 56-44 votes, the Senate refuses to dismiss the charges against President Clinton and agrees to seek depositions from Monica Lewinsky, Vernon Jordan and Sidney Blumenthal.
February 8, 1999: House prosecutors and Clinton’s lawyer offer closing arguments.
February 9, 1999: Senate begins closed-door deliberations on President Clinton’s fate, after rejecting a “sunshine” proposal to open the proceedings to the public.
February 12, 1999: President Clinton is acquitted of the two articles of impeachment. Rejecting the first charge of perjury, 10 Republicans and all 45 Democrats vote “not guilty.” On the charge of obstruction of justice, the Senate is split 50-50.
June 11th, 2008 at 2:47 pm
Had President Clinton been removed from office or simply resigned, we would likely be enjoying the 2nd full Gore term. Things could be worse than a Gore Presidency, a Bush Presidency, for example.
June 11th, 2008 at 4:47 pm
It’s nice to see some putting this in perspective. As a country, we were that close to impeaching a president for what now - in comparison to what we’ve lazily accepted from this administration with a “eh, whatcha gonna do” attitude - seems trivial, yet we cannot get a serious dialog on impeachment going over a war built on false pretense?
Seems strange.
June 11th, 2008 at 8:30 pm
Just goes to show what the reps can accomplish, and the dems cannot. The reps can impeach a pres for getting a “head”, the dems can’t even touch a guy that lied us into a trillion dollar liability and untold thousands of deaths.
Good luck in November dems, even if you win.
June 11th, 2008 at 11:52 pm
jasonthe:
You make a common mistake in your comment. Clinton WAS impeached, he just wasn’t convicted by the senate because the whole thing was silly. A Bush impeachment would require many deadly serious convictions and would be a terrible experience for the country, but without it, the great American experiment that has inspired hope for many different cultures will be a failed one. It’s like throwing everything away and starting over. All because a relatively small group of men and women wanted money and power and cared nothing for the rule of law.
Rule of law. Where have I heard that thousands of times before.
June 12th, 2008 at 12:05 am
The media, who were absolutely giddy about impeachment when there was a Democrat in office has it’s instructions in the wake of Dennis Kucinich’s brave call for accountability concerning the most criminal administration in our history. Bill O’Reilly and every other pundit (learned person) must use this sound bite every time the “I” word comes up if they wish to keep their job:
“It’s not going to happen”
“It’s not going to happen”
“It’s not going to happen”
Sadly, even Keith Olbermann is playing along.
June 12th, 2008 at 7:33 am
You must so proud of the sand displayed by democrats at this most trying time in US history Larry.
Kucinich gets to be the poster boy for naivte’. At least he has a beautiful wife.
June 12th, 2008 at 2:27 pm
Hey Glenn. You’re back.
I’m guessing you weren’t in Washington to witness the procedural stonewalling and Bush’s sudden propensity for vetoing legislation, or you would not be laying anything at the feet for the democrats.
As you know, they don’t have a real majority in the Senate right now, so there ain’t much they can do.
But they have been holding some great hearings and are chasing down Rove.
Where were you? Playing vigilante with the
retards…er Minutemen-Pussies?June 12th, 2008 at 8:45 pm
Bottom line, the dems are weaklings, that much is obvious. Completely outplayed and dominated by a man they call stupid. It’s comical.
As for where people have been, they have been here all along.
As regards the Minutemen, all due respect, but anyone who wishes to be most effective is outing the employers, that’s where the real action is.
June 12th, 2008 at 8:50 pm
Look! I’m a maggot fer Cris’ sake!!
Beware your re-incarnation. Lo beware the like of what I have become. Feeding upon the carrion of body politic. Next life; cockroach?