It could happen by Christmas

4 days in December, 10 years ago today

12/15/1998, 11:45 PM: The House Committee on Judiciary reported an original measure, House Report105-830.

12/19/1998 2:14pm:
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

TIME ELAPSED: 3 days, 14 hours, 29 minutes

Rep. Henry J. Hyde (Repbulican-IL, 6D) manages to send articles impeaching President William J. Clinton to the U.S. Senate in only 86 hours and 29 minutes.

86.5 HOURS! And with NO Cosponsors!

What the heck is wrong with Congress? Bush and Cheney have admitted to crimes and can’t get impeached. But Mr. “Youthful Indescretion” sticks Bill Clinton in 86 and a half hours minus one minute.

Here’s how he did it. (Pay attention Mr. Conyers.)

H.RES.611
Title: Impeaching William Jefferson Clinton, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors.
Sponsor: Rep. Hyde, Henry J. [IL-6] (introduced 12/16/1998)      Cosponsors: (None)

ALL ACTIONS:

12/15/1998 11:45pm:
The House Committee on Judiciary reported an original measure, H. Rept. 105-830 by Mr. Hyde.
12/15/1998 11:46pm:
Placed on the House Calendar, Calendar No. 281.
12/18/1998 9:29am:
Considered as privileged matter. (consideration: CR H11774-11870, H11879-11965)
12/18/1998 9:41am:
ORDER OF PROCEDURE - Mr. Hyde asked unanimous consent that, during consideration of House Resolution 611, the previous question shall be considered as ordered on the resolution to final adoption without intervening motion except: (1) debate on the resolution shall be extended to 4 hours equally divided at the outset and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on the Judiciary; and (2) one motion to recommit with or without instructions, which, if including instructions, shall be debatable for 10 minutes equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent. Objection was heard and subsequently, the House proceeded under its standing rule of debate, pending any further unanimous consent agreements which may be propounded.
12/18/1998 9:44am:
DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate.
12/18/1998 11:10am:
ORDER OF PROCEDURE - At the conclusion of general debate, Mr. Sensenbrenner rose as the designee of Chairman Hyde and absent a motion to proceed to ordering the previous question, asked to be recognized under the one hour rule. Subsequently, the Chair recognized him for 60 minutes and he then yielded 30 minutes of that time to Mr. Conyers to control for purposes of debate only.
12/18/1998 12:12pm:
DIVISION OF THE QUESTION - Mr. Solomon demanded that the question be divided on consideration of H. Res. 611 in order that each of four articles of impeachment shall be voted on separately at the conclusion of debate on the measure. Agreed to without objection.
12/18/1998 12:13pm:
DEBATE - Pursuant to the unanimous consent agreement made earlier, the House proceeded with further debate on H. Res. 611 for a period not to exceed the hour of 10 p.m., December 18, 1998.
12/19/1998 9:23am:
Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H11968-12042)
12/19/1998 9:23am:
DEBATE - Pursuant to the order of the House of December 18, the House proceeded with one hour debate, equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on the Judiciary.
12/19/1998 11:22am:
The previous question was ordered pursuant to a previous order of the House.
12/19/1998 11:23am:
Mr. Boucher moved to recommit with instructions to Judiciary.
12/19/1998 11:25am:
Debate - The House proceeded with ten minutes of debate on the motion to recommit the resolution to the Committee on the Judiciary with instructions to report it back forthwith with an amendment to strike all after the enacting clause and insert the following: That it is the sense of the House that (1) on January 20, 1993, William Jefferson Clinton took the oath prescribed by the Constitution of the United States faithfully to execute the office of President; implicit in that oath is the obligation that the President set an example of high moral standards and conduct himself in a manner that fosters respect for the truth; and that he has egregiously failed in this obligation, and through his actions violated the trust of the American people lessened their esteem for the office of President, and dishonored the office which they have entrusted to him;
12/19/1998 11:26am:
MOTION TO RECOMMIT, CONTINUED - (2)(A) He made false statements concerning his reprehensible conduct with a subordinate; (B) He wrongly took steps to delay discovery of the truth; and (C) inasmuch as no person is above the law, he remains subject to criminal and civil penalties; and (3)William Jefferson Clinton, President of the United States, by his conduct has brought upon himself, and fully deserves, the censure and condemnation of the American people and this House.
12/19/1998 11:45am:
Mr. Solomon raised a point of order against the motion to recommit with instructions. Mr. Solomon stated that the motion to recommit with instructions is not germane to House Resolution 611. Sustained by the Chair.
12/19/1998 11:46am:
POINT OF ORDER - The House proceeded with debate on a point of order raised by Mr. Solomon against the motion to recommit.
12/19/1998 12:48pm:
Mr. Gephardt appealed the ruling of the chair. The question was then put on sustaining the ruling of the chair.
12/19/1998 12:49pm:
Mr. Armey moved to table the motion to appeal the ruling of the chair
12/19/1998 1:05pm:
On motion to table the motion to appeal the ruling of the chair Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 230 - 204 (Roll No. 542).
12/19/1998 1:23pm:
On agreeing to Article I of the resolution Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 228 - 206 (Roll No. 543).
12/19/1998 1:41pm:
On agreeing to Article II of the resolution Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 205 - 229 (Roll No. 544).
12/19/1998 1:57pm:
On agreeing to Article III of the resolution Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 221 - 212 (Roll No. 545).
12/19/1998 2:13pm:
On agreeing to Article IV of the resolution Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 148 - 285 (Roll No. 546).
12/19/1998 2:14pm:
On agreeing to the resolution Agreed to without objection.
12/19/1998 2:14pm:
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
12/19/1998:
Received in the Senate.

And here’s what the Senate did two months later.

2/12/1999:
The Senate adjudges that William Jefferson Clinton, President of the United States, is not guilty as charged in the first Article of Impeachment. By Yea-Nay Vote. 45-55. Record Vote No: 17.
2/12/1999:
The Senate adjudges that William Jefferson Clinton, President of the United States, is not guilty as charged in the second Article of Impeachment. By Yea-Nay Vote. 50-50. Record Vote No: 18.