Political Quotes

“I am in favor of the articles of impeachment. I ran for Congress in order to pass laws--not to pass judgment. But events have transpired over the past year that have put me in a position to decide whether President Clinton lied under oath, obstructed justice and violated the powers of his office. There's no question that this is the most difficult decision I will have to make as a Member of Congress. In my judgment, Bill Clinton has disgraced the Presidency and is no longer fit to hold the highest office in the land. For that reason, I will vote in favor of all four articles of impeachment to be considered today by the House of Representatives. If impeached, it is my hope that President Clinton would spare the Nation a trial in the Senate by resigning as soon as possible. In the event he does not resign, I am hopeful that the Senate would quickly complete his trial and vote to remove him from office. Like most Americans, I wish the President had not lied under oath and had not urged others to do so--but he did. Unfortunately, he can't simply wish that away, and neither can I. Our system of justice is built on the principles of truth and honesty. That's why charges of lying under oath and obstruction of justice are so serious. They are an assault on the basic rule of law that cuts to the very core of our system of government.”