Judiciary Committee: Impeach!
In a jarring blend of constitutional drama and partisan struggle, the House Judiciary committee Saturday approved a fourth article of impeachment against President Clinton, while voting down a Democratic call for censure.
After a morning of impassioned and sometimes rancorous debate, the Committee voted the fourth article of impeachment after limiting it to an allegation that Clinton "made perjurious, false and misleading sworn statements" to Congress in his written response to some of the 81 questions posed by committee Chairman Henry Hyde, R-Ill. The final vote on the article was a party line 20-16.
Earlier, at the urging of the Republican majority, the committee voted 29-5 to drop allegations that Clinton deceived the American people, misled his aides, and frivolously asserted legal privileges to thwart the investigation of the Monica Lewinsky affair. Three lawmakers voted present, not taking a position.
Later, Republicans lined up solidly against a Democratic proposal to censure Clinton for "reprehensible conduct with a subordinate.". The vote was 22-14, with one lawmaker voting present.
It is expected that there will be a move to revive a censure option in the full House, but CBS News Chief Washington Correspondent Bob Schieffer reports Republicans may try to block Democrats from even bringing it up.
Friday night, the committee voted 21-16 to approve Article Three of impeachment, accusing President Clinton of obstructing justice in the Monica Lewinsky affair. Earlier, it adopted two articles accusing him of perjury-one focusing on his testimony in the Paula Jones civil case, the other targeting his testimony before the Ken Starr grand jury.
The votes set the stage for a momentous showdown next week on the floor of the House. While many Republicans have already indicated that they are in favor of passing the impeachment to the Senate, a group of undecideds may hold the key to the President's fate. It was to this group, the White House sent a signal to Friday with the President's willingness to accept censure.
"I am ready to accept that," he said. "I would give anything to go back and undo what I did."
The impeachment vote is now in the hands of some undecided Republicans. One of them, Rick Lazio(R-NY), was on Air Force One with President Clinton while en route to Israel. Speaking with CBS News Senior White House Correspondent Scott Pelley during the flight, Lazio may have signaled how he was going to vote with the comment: "Mr. Clinton must look himself in the mirror and decide what's more important, his career or the health of the country."
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Only twice before has the committee taken such a grave vote against a president, recommending impeachment of Richard M. Nixon n 1974 and Andrew Johnson in 1868. Mr. Nixon resigned before the House could act. Mr. Johnson was impeached by the House and acquitted by a single vote in a Senate trial.
Anticipating the lame-duck House would have to convene for a roll call on sending articles of impeachment to the Senate, retiring Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., has notified all 435 members to prepare to return to the Capitol next week.
The impeachment hearings are expected to be the primary focus of most Sunday political talk shows. Face The Nation with Bob Schieffer guests include Judiciary Chairman Henry Hyde and White House Chief of Staff John Podesta.