Posts tagged as “Missouri”

The following is a statement from the Senate’s closed deliberations on the Articles of Impeachment against President Clinton, excerpts of which senators were allowed to publish in the Congressional Record for Friday, February 12, 1999.

Senator John Ashcroft was a Republican senator from Missouri. He served from 1995 until 2001.

Statement by Senator John Ashcroft (Republican – Missouri)

When the impeachment trial began on January 7th, I took an oath to render `impartial justice according to the Constitution and laws: So help me God.’ This oath distinguishes impeachment from all my other responsibilities in the Senate. Although the Constitution requires Senators to take an oath of office and gives the Senate numerous powers and responsibilities, only the obligation to try impeachments demands the swearing of a special, separate oath. While many commentators have sought to mark this trial as a political event, the oath leaves room only for impartial justice. I interpret this oath as requiring that I decide this case based on the evidence in the record, the arguments of the parties, and the applicable law–and on no other basis.