Watch CBS News

Impeachment Hangs Over Clinton

If the vote were held today, President Clinton would be impeached by the United States House of Representatives. No one much wants to think about it, talk about it, or, for that matter, even have reporters report it.

But, it's an important historical development, what is unfolding now in Washington. The Republicans congressional majority has made it so. Republican Representative Tom Delay of Texas is the main man behind the scenes.

Delay wants the president impeached. And even the Democrats current head-count show him with the votes to do it. Remember, impeached means the House sends the case to the Senate for the trial of the President.

It's only happened once before in our history. President Andrew Johnson, in the wake of the Civil War, was impeached in l868. The House impeached him. He survived the Senate trial by one vote.

However, Andrew Johnson was not an elected President, as Bill Clinton is. Johnson had been Abraham Lincoln's vice president. He came to the presidency only after Lincoln was assassinated.

Therefore, what Republicans in Congress now are pointed toward is the first time in American history that an elected U.S. president would be impeached.

This is serious business. Congressmen Tom DeLay and other Republicans believe This president deserves not only to be impeached, but to be removed from office for lying under oath in a court case growing from sex he had outside of his marriage.

This is not criticism of Congressman Delay. It is to note that if you believed there was little chance President Clinton was going to be impeached. Think again.

©1998 CBS Worldwide Corp. All rights reserved

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.