WALLY HERGER: “as a Member of Congress this vote is one of the most solemn, serious and important decisions each of us will ever make…”

“as a Member of Congress this vote is one of the most solemn, serious and important decisions each of us will ever make and one I cast only under a profound sense of constitutional duty. In 1776, Thomas Paine in his pamphlet Common Sense wrote, quote: ``For as in absolute governments the king is law, so in free countries the law ought to be king.'' Mr. Speaker, our Nation was created in part because our founders were forced to live under one set of laws while our rulers lived under another. The equal application of the rule of law has become the principle upon which our entire legal system is based. I believe the facts clearly indicate that President Clinton has committed the very serious felonies of perjury and obstruction of justice and in so doing has violated the trust of the American people. Mr. Speaker, it is absolutely critical that all Americans, including and especially the President of the United States, obey the law. Bill Clinton is our President, not our king. He is not above the law. To allow our chief law enforcement officer to commit these felonies without facing serious consequences is to send a dangerous message to all Americans that there are again two standards of justice in America, one for the President and one for the rest of us. Mr. Speaker, we have a constitutional obligation to apply the law to the President just as we would apply it to any other American. I believe we have no other choice but to vote aye on these articles of impeachment.”