Articles Of Impeachment Passed by the Committee On The Judiciary
December 11-12, 1998
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 Aug. 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 I Vote Passed: 21(R) -- 16 (D)
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 Dec. 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 Jan. 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 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.
Article II Passed: 20(R) -- 16 (D); 1(R)
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 Dec. 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 Dec. 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 Dec. 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 Dec. 7, 1997, and continuing through
and including Jan. 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 Jan. 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 Jan. 18 and Jan. 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 Jan. 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.
Article III Passed: 21(R) -- 16 (D)
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 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 IV Passed: 21(R) -- 16 (D)
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