Patsy T. Mink: “the essence of our debate resolves around the issue of perjury. In that context alone I believe the articles of…”

“the essence of our debate resolves around the issue of perjury. In that context alone I believe the articles of impeachment are faulty and deficient. I agree with my constituents who asked us to apply the same law to the President as would be applied to ordinary people charged with that offense of perjury. Ordinary citizens would begin the specific basis underlying the charge of perjury. The President has not been provided this information. To vote for these articles of impeachment is to vote to remove the President from office without any of us knowing what exactly he testified to under oath which amounted to the legal definition of perjury. At the minimum this must be elaborated in the articles of impeachment so that the public in general and the Senate specifically may know what the specific charges are and so that the President may defend himself. When I vote against these articles of impeachment, I will do so because I cannot allow this House to avoid its constitutional duty to enumerate the specific allegations of perjury before recommending impeachment. None of us can call for the rule of law if it is an empty gesture and faulty articles of impeachment.”