Sam Gibbons: “this is truly a troubling and difficult time for America as well as for each and every one of us in this august body.…”

“this is truly a troubling and difficult time for America as well as for each and every one of us in this august body. The history of this Nation has clearly shown over the past that it is reluctant, as it should be, to remove any individual duly elected by a vote of the American citizens, and this is not an easy task. It is not one that is done with any joy. But it is my responsibility, along with everyone else in this room, and should be done with the material, the evidence and the charges brought to it. Like each of you, I take this very seriously. It is not my duty to judge this President nor the fate of his term in office. That is left to the United States Senate. The Committee on the Judiciary has brought charges to the full House of serious allegations against Bill Clinton, which include perjury, obstruction of justice and efforts to suborn perjury, serious charges which I have poured over, studied and reviewed and have come to the conclusion that they are true. They are in violation of the laws of this land, the laws that the President has sworn to uphold. To all of my colleagues, let me say that impeachment is the strongest form of censure in the United States. No person is above the law. For only the third time in the history of our nation, members of the United States House of Representatives are being asked to consider Articles of Impeachment against a sitting president.”