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Impeachment inquiry into Bill Clinton

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Further information: Impeachment of Bill Clinton and Impeachment trial of Bill Clinton

Impeachment inquiry into Bill Clinton
Independent Counsel Ken Starr taking oath before testifying before the House Committee on the Judiciary in November 1998
AccusedBill Clinton, 42nd President of the United States
Proponents
CommitteeJudiciary
Committee chairHenry Hyde
DateOctober 8 – December 19, 1998 (2 months, 1 week and 4 days)
OutcomeImpeachment inquiry completed; House Committee on the Judiciary forwards four articles of impeachment to the full House
Charges
CauseClinton's testimony denying that he had engaged in a sexual relationship with Monica Lewinsky in a sexual harassment lawsuit filed against Clinton by Paula Jones; allegations made in the Starr Report
Congressional votes
House vote on resolution authorizing the inquiry
Votes in favor258
Votes against176
ResultAdopted
Voting in the House Committee on the Judiciary on articles of impeachment
AccusationPerjury / grand jury
Votes in favor21
Votes against17
ResultApproved
AccusationPerjury / Jones case
Votes in favor20
Votes against18
ResultApproved
AccusationObstruction of justice
Votes in favor21
Votes against17
ResultApproved
AccusationAbuse of power
Votes in favor21
Votes against17
ResultApproved
Committee forwarded the four proposed articles of impeachment to the full House for consideration

The impeachment inquiry against Bill Clinton, the 42nd president of the United States, was initiated by a vote of the United States House of Representatives on October 8, 1998, roughly a month after the release of the Starr Report. The United States House of Representatives, led by Republican Speaker Newt Gingrich, voted to authorize a broad impeachment inquiry against President Clinton.[1] The inquiry was conducted by the House Committee on the Judiciary.

The committee ultimately authored and approved four proposed articles of impeachment for consideration by the full House. Subsequently, on December 19, 1998, the full House voted to approve the first and third proposed articles, while rejecting the second and fourth proposed articles, thereby impeaching Bill Clinton.

Background

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Further information: Paula Jones § Jones v. Clinton, Clinton–Lewinsky scandal, and Efforts to impeach Bill Clinton

In 1994, Paula Jones filed a lawsuit accusing Clinton of sexual harassment when he was governor of Arkansas.[2] Clinton attempted to delay a trial until after he left office, but in May 1997 the Supreme Court unanimously rejected Clinton's claim that the Constitution immunized him from civil lawsuits, and shortly thereafter the pre-trial discovery process commenced.[3]

Separate from this, in January 1994, Attorney General Janet Reno appointed Robert B. Fiske as an Independent counsel to investigate the Whitewater controversy.[4] In August of that year, Ken Starr was appointed to replace Fiske in this role.[4]

In 1997, the first effort in congress to start an impeachment against Clinton was launched by Republican congressman Bob Barr.[5]

Paula Jones's attorneys wanted to prove Clinton had engaged in a pattern of behavior with women who supported her claims. In late 1997, Linda Tripp began secretly recording conversations with her friend Monica Lewinsky, a former intern and Department of Defense employee. In those recordings, Lewinsky divulged that she had a sexual relationship with Clinton. Tripp shared this information with Jones's lawyers, who added Lewinsky to their witness list in December 1997. According to the Starr Report, a U.S. federal government report written by Ken Starr on his investigation of President Clinton, after Lewinsky appeared on the witness list Clinton began taking steps to conceal their relationship. Some of the steps he took included suggesting to Lewinsky that she file a false affidavit to misdirect the investigation, encouraging her to use cover stories, concealing gifts he had given her, and attempting to help her find gainful employment to try to influence her testimony.[citation needed]

In May 1997, the United States Supreme Court reject Clinton's argument that he, as president, should have immunity from civil case, thus allowing Paula Jones' lawsuit against him to proceed.[4]

In a January 17, 1998 sworn deposition related to the Jones lawsuit against him, Clinton denied having a "sexual relationship", "sexual affair", or "sexual relations" with Lewinsky.[4][6] His lawyer, Robert S. Bennett, stated with Clinton present that Lewinsky's affidavit showed there was no sex in any manner, shape or form between Clinton and Lewinsky. The Starr Report states that the following day, Clinton "coached" his secretary Betty Currie into repeating his denials should she be called to testify.

Remarks including response to Clinton–Lewinsky scandal (January 26, 1998)
Bill Clinton makes a presentation that ends with a short commentary on the Clinton–Lewinsky scandal. The presentation is known for the quote "I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky." (6:22)
Remarks including response to the Clinton–Lewinsky scandal (January 26, 1998)
audio-only version
Problems playing these files? See media help.

After rumors of the scandal reached the news, Clinton publicly said, on January 26, 1998, "I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky."[4][7] But months later, Clinton admitted his relationship with Lewinsky was "wrong" and "not appropriate". Lewinsky engaged in oral sex with Clinton several times.[8][9]

The judge in the Jones case later ruled the Lewinsky matter immaterial, and threw out the case on April 1, 1998, on the grounds that Jones had failed to show any damages. However, Jones appealed this decision.[4][10]

The Starr Report was released to congress on September 9, 1998 and to the public on September 11.[4][11] In the report, Starr argued that there were eleven possible grounds for impeachment of Clinton, including perjury, obstruction of justice, witness tampering, and abuse of power. The report also detailed explicit and graphic details of the sexual relationship between Clinton and Lewinsky.[4][12]

Early actions by the House Committee on the Judiciary

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On September 11, 1998, by a vote of 363-63, the House of Representatives voted for a resolution that would release the Starr Report to the public and authorize a "deliberative review" of it by the House Committee on the Judiciary.[13][14]

On September 18, over the objections of the Democratic members, the House Committee on the Judiciary voted to release the video of Clinton's grand jury testimony, and more the 3,000 pages of the Starr Report's supporting material, including a sexually explicit testimony by Lewinsky.[4][15] [16] This content was released on September 21, with the videotape of Clinton's deposition, immediately after its release, being aired by many cable channels across the United States.[4][16]

The committee announced on September 24 that, in an open session on either October 5 or 6, it would consider a resolution that would initiate an impeachment inquiry against Clinton.[16]

On October 2, the committee released 4,610 more pages of supporting material from the Starr investigation, a cache which included transcripts of grand jury testimony and transcripts of the recordings Linda Tripp made of phone calls and conversations she had with Lewinsky.[4][16]

On October 5, in a 21–16 vote, the House Committee on the Judiciary voted to recommend a formal impeachment inquiry.[4][16]

House vote authorizing the inquiry

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Chair of the House Committee on the Judiciary Henry Hyde and other Republican members of the committee hold a press conference on October 8, 1998

On October 8, 1998, the Republican controlled House of Representatives authorized an inquiry through a bipartisan vote (House Resolution 581) of 258–176, with 31 Democrats joining Republicans.[17][18][19] The resolution authorize the House Committee on the Judiciary to investigate whether grounds existed for an impeachment of Clinton.[20]

Before the vote on the bill authorizing the inquiry, a vote was held on a motion that would send the bill back to the House Committee on the Judiciary with recommended revisions. This motion was rejected by a House vote of 236–198. All but ten Democrats had supported the failed motion, along with one Republican (Jay Dickey) and the House's sole independent congressman (Bernie Sanders). One Republican (Deborah Pryce) did not vote.[21][22]

Vote on authorizing the House Committee on the Judiciary to launch an impeachment inquiry[20]
Party Vote on H. R. 581, Authorizing and directing the Committee on the Judiciary to investigate whether sufficient grounds exist for the impeachment of William Jefferson Clinton, President of the United States[20]
Yeas Nay Present Not voting
Democratic (206) 31 175 – –
Republican (228) 227 – –
1
Independent (1) –
1
 – –
Total (435) 258 176 0 1

Members of the House Committee on the Judiciary

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The table below shows the members of the House Committee on the Judiciary, who conducted the inquiry. The names are divided by party, and ranked by seniority.

Majority party (Republican)[23] Minority party (Democratic)[23]

Pre-midterm election developments

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Since Ken Starr had already completed an extensive investigation, the House Committee on the Judiciary conducted no investigations of its own into Clinton's alleged wrongdoing and held no serious impeachment-related hearings before the 1998 midterm elections.[citation needed]

Impact of inquiry on midterm elections

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Impeachment was one of the major issues in the 1998 midterm elections.[citation needed] In the closing week of campaigning, Republicans changed tactics and began running television ads attacking Democrats for Clinton's sexual affair with Lewinsky.[16]

In the November 1998 House elections, held on November 3, the Democrats picked up five seats in the House,[16] but the Republicans still maintained majority control. The results went against what House Speaker Newt Gingrich predicted, who, before the election, had been reassured by private polling that Clinton's scandal would result in Republican gains of up to thirty House seats.

Exit polls of the midterm showed that most Americans opposed impeachment. However, neither notably high Democratic or Republican turnout occurred in the midterms, despite speculation that the impeachment process might affect voter turnout.[24]

Post-midterm developments

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Shortly after the elections, House speaker Gingrich, who had been one of the leading advocates for impeachment, announced he would resign from Congress as soon as he was able to find somebody to fill his vacant seat.[25][26] Gingrich would ultimately fulfill this pledge, and officially resigned from Congress on January 3, 1999.[27]

Impeachment proceedings were held during the post-election, "lame duck" session of the outgoing 105th United States Congress.[28] Unlike the case of the 1974 impeachment process against Richard Nixon, the committee hearings were perfunctory but the floor debate in the whole House was spirited on both sides.[citation needed]

On November 9, a house subcommittee heard from legal experts as to whether Clinton's behavior had risen to the level of an impeachable offense.[16]

On November 13, 1998, Clinton agreed to pay a $850,000 settlement to Jones in her sexual harassment lawsuit, after four years of litigation. The arrangement did not include an apology from Clinton.[16][29]

Ken Starr testifying before the House Committee on the Judiciary
White House Counsel Charles Ruff at November 19 hearing

On November 19, Ken Starr presented his case against Clinton to the House Committee on the Judiciary. Starr declared that Clinton had repeatedly chosen "deception" and engaged in an "unlawful effort to thwart the judicial process".[4][16] In this session, the Democrats on the committee questioned Starr on his methods of investigation.[16]

On November 28, Clinton delivered written answers to 81 questions that the House Committee on the Judiciary had given him.[30][31] Republicans voiced disappointment and outrage at Clinton's responses, which they criticized as being evasive, incomplete, weak in defense, and legalistic.[16][31]

On a party-line vote held on December 1, the House Committee on the Judiciary voted to expand the scope of their inquiry to include alleged campaign finance abuse, and to approve subpoenas for Attorney General Janet Reno, Director of the FBI Louis Freeh and federal prosecutor Charles LaBella.[4][16] However, on December 3, Henry Hyde, the chairman of the House Committee on the Judiciary, told Republicans that the campaign financing allegations would no longer be a part of the impeachment discussions.[16]

On December 4, Clinton's lawyers requested that the House Committee on the Judiciary allot them three to four days to make a defense presentation.[16] On December 6, they were granted 30 hours stretched over two days to make their defense case before the committee.[16] In a day-long session on December 8, Clinton's legal team and three panels of witnesses testifying on Clinton's behalf argued that Clinton's behavior did not call for impeachment.[16]

On December 11, Clinton released another apology for his actions, declaring himself "profoundly sorry" and willing to accept a censure.[4][16] The same day, the House Committee on the Judiciary agreed to send three articles of impeachment to the full House for consideration. The vote on two articles, grand jury perjury and obstruction of justice, was 21–17, both along party lines. On the other, perjury in the Paula Jones case, the committee voted 20–18, with Republican Lindsey Graham joining with Democrats, in order to give President Clinton "the legal benefit of the doubt".[32] The next day, December 12, the committee voted to send a fourth and final article, for abuse of power, to the full House by a 21–17 vote, again, along party lines.[33]

Subsequent impeachment process developments

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Also on December 12, a Democratic proposal to censure Clinton as an alternative to impeaching him was defeated.[16]

On December 15, 1998, a group of eleven moderate House Republicans declared that they would vote to impeach Clinton, which deflated Clinton's hopes that Republicans may lack the votes to successfully impeach him.[16]

Debate on impeachment was delayed from December 17 to December 18 by Republicans after the December 16 onset of the bombing of Iraq.[16] The same day, House Speaker-designate, Representative Bob Livingston (chosen by the Republican Party Conference to replace Gingrich as House Speaker) admitted to his own marital infidelity, but tried to draw a distinction between him and Clinton, by pointing out that his own infidelity was not with a staff member, nor had he ever been asked to testify under oath about his infidelities, unlike Clinton.[16]

On December 18, House debate began.[16] That day, a survey of House members by CNN indicated that at least one of the four proposed articles of impeachment did not have enough votes to be approved.[16]

On December 19, before the House would begin impeachment debate for the day, Livingston announced the end of his candidacy for Speaker and his resignation from Congress from the floor of the House after his own marital infidelity had come to light.[34] In the same speech, Livingston also encouraged Clinton to resign. Clinton chose to remain in office and urged Livingston to reconsider his resignation.[35]

On December 19, after thirteen and a half hours of debate spread over two days, the House of Representatives narrowly approved two of the four proposed articles of impeachment sent to it by the House Committee on the Judiciary.[4][16]

An impeachment trial was held in the Senate between January 7 and February 12, 1999, concluding with an acquittal after both articles of impeachment failed to receive the requisite two-thirds threshold of “guilty” votes to convict.[36][37]

Public opinion

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Per Pew Research Center polling, the impeachment process against Clinton was generally unpopular.[38]

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References

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  1. ^ "President Clinton impeached". history.com. A&E Television Networks. January 13, 2021 [November 24, 2009]. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  2. ^ "Clinton v. Jones Timeline". The Washington Post. July 4, 1997. Archived from the original on February 20, 2018. Retrieved December 15, 2019.
  3. ^ "The Starr Report Narrative Pt. VII". The Washington Post. May 1997. Archived from the original on November 19, 2019. Retrieved December 15, 2019.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "Clinton impeachment timeline". the Guardian. November 18, 1998. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  5. ^ Pace, David (November 6, 1997). "17 in House seek probe to impeach president". Newspapers.com. The Record. The Associated Press. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
  6. ^ Starr, Kenneth. "The Starr Report Pt. XIV: The Deposition and Afterward". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on December 20, 2019. Retrieved December 18, 2019.
  7. ^ "What Clinton Said". The Washington Post. September 2, 1998. Archived from the original on February 5, 2012. Retrieved May 5, 2010.
  8. ^ "The Stained Blue Dress that Almost Lost a Presidency". University of Missouri-Kansas School of Law. Archived from the original on July 3, 2008. Retrieved July 10, 2008.
  9. ^ Ross, Brian (March 19, 1998). "Hillary at White House on 'Stained Blue Dress' Day—Schules Reviewed by ABC Show Hillary May Have Been in the White House When the Fateful Act Was Committed". ABC News. Archived from the original on June 19, 2008. Retrieved July 10, 2008.
  10. ^ Baker, Peter (November 14, 1998). "Clinton Settles Paula Jones Lawsuit for $850,000". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on September 29, 2011. Retrieved June 3, 2018.
  11. ^ "Starr's report at a glance - September 11, 1998". www.cnn.com. CNN. AllPolitics. September 11, 1998. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  12. ^ "Explosive Starr report outlines case for impeachment - September 11, 1998". www.cnn.com. CNN. AllPolitics. September 11, 1998. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  13. ^ "Roll Call 425 Roll Call 425, Bill Number: H. Res. 525, 105th Congress, 2nd Session". Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives. September 11, 1998. Retrieved June 20, 2023.
  14. ^ "H.Res.525 - Providing for a deliberative review by the Committee on the Judiciary of a communication from an independent counsel, and for the release thereof, and for other purposes". Congress.gov. United States Congress.
  15. ^ "House panel will release Clinton video, Lewinsky testimony - September 18, 1998". www.cnn.com. CNN. AllPolitics. September 18, 1998. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  16. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y "Clinton impeachment timeline". academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu. City University of New York. Archived from the original on May 6, 2017. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  17. ^ Crowley, Candy; Franken, Bob; King, John; Frieden, Terry (October 8, 1998). "House approves impeachment inquiry". CNN. Archived from the original on September 28, 2020. Retrieved September 13, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  18. ^ "Text of H.Res. 581 (105th): Impeachment Investigation resolution (Passed the House version)". GovTrack.us. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  19. ^ Hyde, Henry J. (October 8, 1998). "H.Res.581 - 105th Congress (1997-1998): Authorizing and directing the Committee on the Judiciary to investigate whether sufficient grounds exist for the impeachment of William Jefferson Clinton, President of the United States". www.congress.gov. United States Congress. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  20. ^ a b c "Roll Call 498 Roll Call 498, Bill Number: H. Res. 581, 105th Congress, 2nd Session". clerk.house.gov. Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives. October 8, 1998. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  21. ^ "31 Democrats defect, support impeachment inquiry - October 8, 1998". www.cnn.com. CNN. AllPolitics. October 8, 1998. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  22. ^ "Roll Call 497 Roll Call 497, Bill Number: H. Res. 581, 105th Congress, 2nd Session". clerk.house.gov. Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives. October 8, 1998. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  23. ^ a b "Committee Profiles". Washington Post. December 11, 1998. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
  24. ^ "Election '98 Lewinsky factor never materialized - November 4, 1998". www.cnn.com.
  25. ^ Gibbs, Nancy; Duffy, Michael (November 16, 1998). "Fall Of The House Of Newt". Time. Archived from the original on August 21, 2010. Retrieved May 5, 2010.(subscription required)
  26. ^ Tapper, Jake (March 9, 2007). "Gingrich Admits to Affair During Clinton Impeachment". ABC News. Archived from the original on March 1, 2012. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
  27. ^ "Special election set to replace Gingrich". Ocala Star-Banner. January 5, 1999. Archived from the original on January 14, 2021. Retrieved October 22, 2020 – via Google News archive.
  28. ^ Glass, Andrew (October 8, 2017). "House votes to impeach Clinton, Oct. 8, 1998". POLITICO. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  29. ^ "Appeals court ponders Paula Jones settlement". CNN. November 18, 1998. Retrieved September 11, 2011.
  30. ^ "TESTING OF A PRESIDENT; Clinton's Responses to Questions From the House Judiciary Committee (Published 1998)". The New York Times. November 28, 1998. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  31. ^ a b "Republicans disappointed by Clinton's answers to impeachment questions - November 28, 1998". www.cnn.com. CNN. AllPolitics. November 28, 1998. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  32. ^ "Judiciary approves three articles of impeachment". CNN. December 11, 1998. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
  33. ^ "Judiciary Committee wraps up case against Clinton". CNN. December 12, 1998. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
  34. ^ Kurtz, Howard, "Larry Flynt, Investigative Pornographer" Archived May 18, 2018, at the Wayback Machine, The Washington Post, December 19, 1998. Page C01. Retrieved 21-June-2010.
  35. ^ Karl, Jonathan (December 19, 1998). "Livingston bows out of the speakership". All Politics. CNN. Associated Press. Archived from the original on March 13, 2007. Retrieved May 9, 2009.
  36. ^ Wire, Sarah D. (January 16, 2020). "A look back at how Clinton's impeachment trial unfolded". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  37. ^ "How the senators voted on impeachment". CNN. February 12, 1999. Retrieved June 8, 2019.
  38. ^ "Clinton's impeachment barely dented his public support, and it turned off many Americans". Pew Research Center. Retrieved February 28, 2021.
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