Summer 1999
Update
to the Elect Hobie Homepage
Part II. Post Zippergate
Letdown
We all are glad Zippergate is over.... but what are the continuing
costs and consequences?
"The record demonstrates by clear
and convincing evidence that the President responded to plaintiff's questions
by giving
false, misleading, and evasive answers
that were designed to obstruct the judicial process....
Simply put, the President's deposition testimony regarding whether he had
ever been alone with Ms. Lewinsky was intentionally false, and his statements
regarding whether he had ever engaged in sexual relations with Ms.
Lewinsky likewise were intentionally false, notwithstanding tortured definitions
and interpretations of the term 'sexual relations....'
There simply is no escaping the fact that
the President deliberately violated this court's discovery orders and thereby
undermined
the integrity of the judicial system.
Sanctions must be imposed, not only to redress the President's misconduct,
but to deter others who might themselves consider emulating the President
of the United States by engaging in misconduct that undermines the integrity
of the judicial system.
Accordingly the court adjudges the President
to be in civil contempt of court...
and hereby orders ..the President ... [to] pay plaintiff any reasonable
expenses, including attorney's fees caused by his willful failure to obey
this court's discovery orders... [and] in addition the Court will
refer this matter to the Arkansas Supreme Court's Committee on Professional
Conduct for review and any action it deems appropriate." Federal
District Judge Susan Weber Wright.
The Judge also noted Clinton violated her order
not to discuss his deposition with anyone other than his lawyers when the
day after his testimony he summoned his private secretary Betty Currie
to the White House to review his testimony with her.
The American Bar Association's Model Rules
of Professional Responsibility make it clear that giving false testimony
is misconduct worthy of disbarment. The President is the highest
court officer, and the nation's highest court officer. No other President
has ever been held in contempt of court, and it is rare for any high government
official to be faced with such charges. NYT 4/15/99
Clinton's lawyer said the President would
not challenge the order holding him in civil contempt of court.
IRS Commissioner Rossotti points out that
when we sign our tax returns are in effect taking a legal oath. "This means,"
he sternly reminds us, "that the information you provide must meet the
same standard of truth and accuracy that the President Clinton met when
he testified under oath about alleged acts of internship with Monica Lewinsky."
For example, if you have three dependents,
when you fill in the box that says "Number of Dependents," the following
answers would meet the Clinton Accuracy Standard:
*Three. * Four. *Around 27. *I don't recall.
*It depends on what you mean by dependent." Dave Barry 4/4/99
"I underwent the sort of culture shock that
naturally occurs when one moves from the very structured environment of
the Supreme Court to what I shall call, for want of a better phrase, the
more freeform environment of the Senate. I leave you now a wiser, but not
sadder, man." Chief Justice Rehnquist, at the end of the impeachment trial.
"Part of growing up is learning how to control
one's impulses." H. Clinton introducing her husband during an anti-gun
rally. 4/29/99
"Monica Lewinsky, the impeachment and the
allegations of rape by Juanita Broadrick that followed immediately after
have cost Clinton more than his credibility with Congress. There is plenty
of circumstantial evidence that Hillary Clinton, his rock, his best advisor,
has moved out, in spirit if not in fact.... 'I don't want to be in the
same room with him, let alone the same bed.' That quote, attributed to
the first lady, made headlines all over the world." Susan Reimer
"I want to say again to the American people
how profoundly sorry I am for what I said and did to trigger these events
and the great burden they have imposed on the Congress and on the American
people." Clinton after the Impeachment vote. 2/13/99
Michael Isikoff whose reporting for Newsweek
uncovered information that ultimately led to the President's impeachment,
refers to Mr. Clinton in his book as "a far more psychologically disturbed
individual than the public ever imagined." NYT 4/19/99
An estimated 70 million people watched all
or part of Barbara Walter's 2 hour interview with Monica Lewinsky; no single
network news program has ever been watched by as many people.
"Thong underwear is to Bill Clinton's brain
what kryptonite is to Superman's muscles." NYT 3/5/99
Mrs. Clinton told Blumenthal that she was
"distressed" that the president was being attacked "for political motives."
Her husband had told her that he had just "ministered" to a "troubled"
young person. "The First Lady said he had done this dozens if not
hundreds of times with people," Blumenthal testified. Newsweek 10/12/98
"It has not escaped some of her friends that
being forced onto the sidelines would be excruciating punishment for him,
as without a campaign of his own, he watches his wife and his Vice President
run." J. Bennet on Hillary's run for Senator in New York NYT
5/30/99
"It's a mess ain't it?" He's a horny
little toad." Dolly Parton
"If I ever want to have an affair with a married
man again, especially if he's president, please shoot me." Monica
to L. Tripp
"In Poland we've known what her kind of profession
is for hundreds of years. If she were my daughter, I would tell her
to get plastic surgery and leave the country. To escape the shame."
Jolanta Kwasniewska, wife of the President of Poland. NYT 6/11/99
In Washington, intelligent man is often an
oxymoron: when testosterone hits high tide, the judgment of highly
placed men goes splat. That is why this trial is so loony. Congress
has an illustrious history of politicians having affairs with young female
aids and lying about them. The House managers pretend to be outraged
that Clinton lied to Sidney Blumenthal about Monica. As if members
of Congress never lie to aides intending that the lies be repeated."
M. Dowd NYT 2/8/99
"Asked if he was hurt that Mr. Gore, in his
campaign appearances, usually did not mention him, Mr. Clinton said, 'I
think it's smart. And I really agree with him." NYT 5/14/99
"I hardly remember Kosovo in political discussions.
It was all impeachment, impeachment, impeachment. There was nothing
else." Clinton Advisor NYT 4/18/99
"Never talk to me about foreign policy in
the presence of a third person. Always do it one on one with me."
Clinton to D. Morris (according to Morris.) George Stephanopoulos
said Morris tried to rewrite policy on terrorism and trade with Japan,
and that Morris "was missing a gene: He literally had no shame."
"We have a President who has a problem:
he lies when he doesn't really have to.... Q. 'Can you assure the
American people that under your watch no valuable nuclear secrets were
lost?' A: '...to the best of my knowledge' (and he wasn't even under
oath) 'no one has said anything to me about any espionage which occurred
by the Chinese against the labs during my Presidency.... Here's
why Clinton inserted 'against the labs' in his answer. As Richardson
lamely explained: 'we don't know whether it came from our labs.'"
Wm. Safire, NYT
"You know I'd be interested in what the odds
are about how long it'll take before he runs for something else."
Hillary Clinton, on her husband. NYT Magazine 5/30/99
President Clinton's legal bills in his 2 terms
could exceed $10 million.
"I mean, marriage is hard" -- she began to
grin as the crowd got it and started laughing -- "it's hard work, and I'd
be the first to tell ya." When the cheering stopped, she added, "But
when you have a child, you have a special obligation." H. Clinton
NYT 5/30/99
"I expect a moratorium on babies being named
Monica for the next 30 years." A. Bernays, author of "the Language
of Names."
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