Hyde's Presentation to the Senate
January 7, 1999
Mr. President, the managers on the part of the House of
Representatives are here and present, and ready to present the
articles of impeachment which have been preferred by the House of
Representatives against William Jefferson Clinton, president of the
United States.
The House adopted the following resolution which, with the
permission of the Senate, I will read.
House Resolution 10: Resolved that in continuance of the
authority conferred in House Resolution 614 of the 105th Congress,
adopted by the House of Representatives and delivered to the Senate
on Dec. 19, 1998, Mr. Hyde of Illinois, Mr. Sensenbrenner of
Wisconsin, Mr. McCollum of Florida, Mr. Gekas of Pennsylvania, Mr.
Canady of Florida, Mr. Buyer of Indiana, Mr. Bryant of Tennessee,
Mr. Chabot of Ohio, Mr. Barr of Georgia, Mr. Hutchinson of
Arkansas, and Mr. Cannon of Utah, Mr. Rogan of California, and Mr.
Graham of South Carolina are appointed managers to conduct the
impeachment trial against William Jefferson Clinton, president of
the United States.
That a message be sent to the Senate to inform the Senate of
these appointments and that the managers so appointed may in
connection with the preparation and the conduct of the trial
exhibit the articles of impeachment to the Senate and take all
other actions necessary which may include the following:
One, employing legal, clerical and other necessary assistance
and incurring such other expenses as may be necessary to be paid
from amounts available to the Committee on the Judiciary under
applicable expense resolutions, or from the applicable accounts of
the House of Representatives; two, sending for persons and papers
and filing with the secretary of the Senate on the part of the
House of Representatives any pleadings in conjunction with or
subsequent to the exhibition of the articles of impeachment that
the managers consider necessary.
With the permission of the Senate, I will now read the articles
of impeachment.
House Resolution 611: Resolved that William Jefferson Clinton,
president of the United States, is impeached for high crimes and
misdemeanors, and that the following articles of impeachment be
exhibited to the United States Senate:
Articles of impeachment exhibited by the House of
Representatives of the United States of America in the name of
itself and of the people of the United States of America, against
William Jefferson Clinton, president of the United States of
America, in maintenance and support of its impeachment against him
for high crimes and misdemeanors.
Article One: 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 Two: 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.
Passed the House of Representatives Dec. 19, 1998, Newt
Gingrich, speaker of the House of Representatives. Attest Robin H.
Carle, clerk.
Mr. President, that completes the exhibition of the articles of
impeachment against William Jefferson Clinton, president of the
United States.
The managers request that the Senate take order for the trial.
The managers now request leave to withdraw.
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