The House approved two articles of impeachment of President Clinton today on largely party-line votes. The Senate must now hold a trial to determine whether the President should be removed from office.
Article I of the four impeachment articles before the House, alleging that President Clinton lied to a federal grand jury, passed on a vote of 228-206, after Democrats lost an attempt to bring a censure resolution to the floor through a procedural maneuver. Five Democrats and five Republicans broke ranks in the vote.
Just minutes later, the House approved Article III, accusing the President of obstruction of justice, on a 221-212 vote.
Article II, alleging perjury in the Paula Jones civil case, was rejected by a 229-205 vote, and Article IV, alleging abuse of power, failed on a 285-148 vote.
Prior to the impeachment votes, the GOP majority, by a 230-204 vote, with very few members crossing party lines, tabled an appeal of the chair's ruling that the Democrats' censure attempt was not germane, and therefore out of order. Most House Democrats then left the chamber to hold a protest news conference on the grounds outside the capitol.
"The House is out of touch and it is out of control," said Minority Whip David Bonior, who accused Republicans of trying "to hijack the election."
The vote came just hours after Speaker-designate Bob Livingston shocked the membership by announcing he would not stand for speaker. Livingston said he would resign his office, and called on Clinton to do the same.
"I was prepared to lead our narrow majority as speaker, and I believe I had it in me," Livingston said at approximately 9:45 a.m. He said, however, that the recent disclosure of his extramarital affairs and the current partisan tensions surrounding impeachment made that impossible.
"I must set the example, that I hope President Clinton will follow," Livingston said. He said he would remain for six months "as a backbencher in this House I love so much."
Livingston thanked his constituents for allowing him to serve, and said he hoped "they will not think badly of me for leaving."
Other House members struggled to revise and present their floor statements in the wake of Livingston's announcement. (Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., unsuccessfully sought a quorum call, which would temporarily halt floor proceedings.) Rep. Chaka Fattah, D-Pa., took the opportunity to charge that Republicans' efforts to oust Clinton have cost them "one speaker and one speaker to be... They could almost be accused of being the gang that could not shoot straight."
Rep. Tom Campell, R-Calif., on the other hand, praised Livingston and said his decision "has shown us the importance of trust. If you cannot be trusted, you cannot govern."
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