Clinton impeachment trial transcripts — January 27, 1999            Full Coverage Search Clinton in Crisis The Trial Trial Guide Evidence Guide Transcripts Video Discuss the Trial The Starr Report and Rebuttals Video Index Documents Starr Investigation Jones v. Clinton Whitewater Jones v. Clinton Whitewater The following transcript was provided to Court TV by Federal Document Clearing House: SENATE IMPEACHMENT TRIAL OF PRESIDENT CLINTON JANUARY 27, 1999 SPEAKERS: WILLIAM H. REHNQUIST, CHIEF JUSTICE, U.S. SUPREME COURT U.S. SENATOR TRENT LOTT, MAJORITY LEADER LLOYD OGILVIE, SENATE CHAPLAIN U.S. REPRESENTATIVE HENRY J. HYDE (R-IL) U.S. REPRESENTATIVE F. JAMES SENSENBRENNER (R-WI) U.S. REPRESENTATIVE BILL MCCOLLUM (R-FL) U.S. REPRESENTATIVE GEORGE W. GEKAS (R-PA) U.S. REPRESENTATIVE CHARLES T. CANADY (R-FL) U.S. REPRESENTATIVE STEPHEN E. BUYER (R-IN) U.S. REPRESENTATIVE ED BRYANT (R-TN) U.S. REPRESENTATIVE STEVE CHABOT (R-OH) U.S. REPRESENTATIVE BOB BARR (R-GA) U.S. REPRESENTATIVE ASA HUTCHINSON (R-AR) U.S. REPRESENTATIVE CHRIS CANNON (R-UT) U.S. REPRESENTATIVE JAMES E. ROGAN (R-CA) U.S. REPRESENTATIVE LINDSEY O. GRAHAM (R-SC) GREGORY B. CRAIG, WHITE HOUSE COUNSEL BRUCE R. LINDSEY, WHITE HOUSE COUNSEL CHERYL D. MILLS, WHITE HOUSE COUNSEL LANNY A. BREUER, WHITE HOUSE COUNSEL DAVID E. KENDALL, ATTORNEY FOR PRESIDENT CLINTON NICOLE K. SELIGMAN, ATTORNEY FOR PRESIDENT CLINTON EMMET T. FLOOD, ATTORNEY FOR PRESIDENT CLINTON MAX STIER, ATTORNEY FOR PRESIDENT CLINTON GLEN DONATH, ATTORNEY FOR PRESIDENT CLINTON ALICIA MARTI, ATTORNEY FOR PRESIDENT CLINTON *** Elapsed Time 00:00, Eastern Time 13:07 *** REHNQUIST: The Senate will convene as a court of impeachment. The chaplain will offer a prayer. OGILVIE: Dear God, leadership has its defining days in which crucial decisions must be made. You know, that this is an important one of those days. In a few moments, votes must be cast. Now in the quiet the senators wait to be counted. It's a lonely time. Beyond party loyalties those on both sides of the aisle long to do what ultimately is best for our nation. Debate has led to firm convictions. Give the senators the courage of these convictions and the assurance that if they are true to whatever they now believe is best, you will bless them with peace. OGILVIE: We intercede for them and the heavy responsibilities they must carry. Imbue them with your calming spirit and strengthen them with your gift of faith to trust you to maintain unity once the votes are tallied. We commit the results to you. Our times are in your hands. Through our Lord and Savior, Amen. REHNQUIST: Amen. The senators will be seated. The sergeant-at-arms will make the proclamation. SERGEANT-AT-ARMS: Hear ye, hear ye, hear ye. All persons are commanded to keep silent on pain of imprisonment while the Senate of the United States is sitting for the trial of the articles of impeachment exhibited by the House of Representatives against William Jefferson Clinton, president of the United States. REHNQUIST: If there's no objection, the journals of proceedings of the trial are approved to date. The majority leader is recognized. LOTT: Mr. Chief Justice, in a moment we will begin two consecutive votes. The first will be on the motion to dismiss, and that would be followed by an immediate vote on the motion to subpoena. LOTT: And following those votes, there will be an opportunity to describe how we would go forward from there with the depositions. I've discussed this with Senator Daschle and it is likely that we would take a break at that point so that we could have further discussions with our conferences, make sure we understand how that subpoena and deposition process would go forward. I have a resolution prepared. We have some simpler ones that we can consider. But we would want to discuss those with each other during the vote and perhaps even after the two votes occur, depending on what the results are. The idea is that we have now before us S. Res. 16, which has brought us to this point, to these two votes. We need to give some consideration to making sure we understand how the process will go forward to a conclusion after that. I thank my colleagues for their attention and I believe that we're ready for the votes, Mr. Chief Justice. REHNQUIST: The question occurs on the motion to dismiss the impeachment proceedings offered from by the senator from West Virginia, Mr. Byrd. The yeas and nays are required. The clerk will call the role. CLERK: Mr. Abraham. ABRAHAM: No. CLERK: Mr. Abraham, no. Mr. Akaka. AKAKA: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Akaka, aye. Mr. Allard. ALLARD: No. CLERK: Mr. Allard, no. Mr. Ashcroft. ASHCROFT: No. CLERK: Mr. Ashcroft, no. Mr. Baucus. BAUCUS: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Baucus, aye. CLERK: Mr. Bayh. BAYH: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Bayh, aye. Mr. Bennett. BENNETT: No. CLERK: Mr. Bennett, no. Mr. Biden. BIDEN: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Biden, aye. Mr. Bingaman. BINGAMAN: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Bingaman, aye. Mr. Bond. BOND: No. CLERK: Mr. Bond, no. Mrs. Boxer. BOXER: Aye. CLERK: Mrs. Boxer, aye. Mr. Breaux. BREAUX: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Breaux, aye. Mr. Brownback. BROWNBACK: No. CLERK: Mr. Brownback, no. Mr. Bryan. Mr. Bunning. BUNNING: No. CLERK: Mr. Bunning, no. Mr. Burns. BURNS: No. CLERK: Mr. Burns, no. Mr. Byrd. Mr. Byrd, aye. Mr. Campbell. CAMPBELL: No. CLERK: Mr. Campbell, no. Mr. Chafee. CHAFEE: No. CLERK: Mr. Chafee, no. Mr. Cleland. CLELAND: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Cleland, aye. Mr. Cochran. COCHRAN: No. CLERK: Mr. Cochran, no. Ms. Collins. COLLINS: No. CLERK: Ms. Collins, no. CLERK: Mr. Conrad. CONRAD: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Conrad, aye. Mr. Coverdell. COVERDELL: No. CLERK: Mr. Coverdell, no. Mr. Craig CRAIG: No. CLERK: Mr. Craig, no. Mr. Crapo. CRAPO: No. CLERK: Mr. Crapo, no. Mr. Daschle. DASCHLE: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Daschle, aye. Mr. DeWine. DEWINE: No. CLERK: Mr. DeWine, no. CLERK: Mr. Dodd. DODD: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Dodd, aye. Mr. Domenici. DOMENICI: No. CLERK: Mr. Domenici, no. Mr. Dorgan. DORGAN: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Dorgan, aye. Mr. Durbin. DURBIN: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Durbin, aye. Mr. Edwards. EDWARDS: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Edwards, aye. Mr. Enzi. ENZI: No. CLERK: Mr. Enzi, no. Mr. Feingold. FEINGOLD: No. CLERK: Mr. Feingold, no. Mrs. Feinstein. FEINSTEIN: Aye. CLERK: Mrs. Feinstein, aye. Mr. Fitzgerald. FITZGERALD: No. CLERK: Mr. Fitzgerald, no. Mr. Frist. FRIST: No. CLERK: Mr. Frist, no. Mr. Gorton. CLERK: Mr. Gorton, no. Mr. Graham of Florida. GRAHAM: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Graham of Florida, aye. Mr. Gramm of Texas. GRAMM: No. CLERK: Mr. Gramm of Texas, no. Mr. Grams of Minnesota. GRAMS: No. CLERK: Mr. Grams of Minnesota, no. Mr. Grassley GRASSLEY: No. CLERK: Mr. Grassley, no. Mr. Gregg. GREGG: No. CLERK: Mr. Gregg, no. Mr. Hagel. HAGEL: No. CLERK: Mr. Hagel, no. Mr. Harkin. HARKIN: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Harkin, aye. Mr. Hatch. HATCH: No. CLERK: Mr. Hatch, no. CLERK: Mr. Helms. HELMS: No. CLERK: Mr. Helms, no. Mr. Hollings. HOLLINGS: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Hollings, aye. Mr. Hutchinson of Arkansas. HUTCHINSON: No. CLERK: Mr. Hutchinson of Arkansas, no. Mrs. Hutchison of Texas. HUTCHISON: No.. CLERK: Mrs. Hutchison of Texas, no. Mr. Inhofe. INHOFE: No. CLERK: Mr. Inhofe, no. Mr. Inouye. INOUYE: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Inouye, aye. Mr. Jeffords. JEFFORDS: No. CLERK: Mr. Jeffords, no. Mr. Johnson. JOHNSON: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Johnson, aye. Mr. Kennedy. KENNEDY: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Kennedy, aye. CLERK: Mr. Kerrey of Nebraska. KERREY: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Kerrey of Nebraska, aye. Mr. Kerry of Massachusetts. KERRY: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Kerry of Massachusetts, aye. Mr. Kohl. KOHL: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Kohl, aye. Mr. Kyl. Mr. Kyl, no. Ms. Landrieu. LANDRIEU: Aye. CLERK: Ms. Landrieu, aye. Mr. Lautenberg. LAUTENBERG: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Lautenberg, aye. Mr. Leahy. LEAHY: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Leahy, aye. Mr. Levin. LEVIN: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Levin, aye. Mr. Lieberman. LIEBERMAN: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Lieberman, aye. Mrs. Lincoln. LINCOLN: Aye. CLERK: Mrs. Lincoln, aye. Mr. Lott. LOTT: No. CLERK: Mr. Lott, no. Mr. Lugar. LUGAR: No. CLERK: Mr. Lugar, no. CLERK: Mr. Mack. MACK: No. CLERK: Mr. Mack, no. Mr. McCain. MCCAIN: No. CLERK: Mr. McCain, no. Mr. McConnell. MCCONNELL: No. CLERK: Mr. McConnell, no. Ms. Mikulski. MIKULSKI: No. CLERK: Ms. Mikulski, no. Mr. Moynihan. MOYNIHAN: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Moynihan, aye. Mr. Murkowski. MURKOWSKI: No. CLERK: Mr. Murkowski, no. REHNQUIST: The chair recognizes the senator from Maryland. MIKULSKI: At an appropriate time I wish to state I made an error in my vote. I want to vote yes. May I do that now, or wait until the end? REHNQUIST: The record may so show. MIKULSKI: I vote yes. (LAUGHTER) CLERK: Ms. Mikulski, aye. Mrs. Murray. MURRAY: Aye. CLERK: Mrs. Murray, aye. Mr. Nickles. NICKLES: No. CLERK: Mr. Nickles, no. Mr. Reed of Rhode Island. REED: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Reed of Rhode Island, aye. Mr. Reid of Nevada. REID: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Reid of Nevada, aye. Mr. Robb. ROBB: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Robb, aye. Mr. Roberts. ROBERTS: No. CLERK: Mr. Roberts, no. Mr. Rockefeller. ROCKEFELLER: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Rockefeller, aye. Mr. Roth. ROTH: No. CLERK: Mr. Roth, no. Mr. Santorum. SANTORUM: No. CLERK: Mr. Santorum, no. CLERK: Mr. Sarbanes. SARBANES: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Sarbanes, aye. Mr. Schumer. SCHUMER: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Schumer, aye. Mr. Sessions. SESSIONS: No. CLERK: Mr. Sessions, no. Mr. Shelby. SHELBY: No. CLERK: Mr. Shelby, no. Mr. Smith of New Hampshire. B. SMITH: No. CLERK: Mr. Smith of New Hampshire, no. Mr. Smith of Oregon. G. SMITH: No. CLERK: Mr. Smith of Oregon, no. Ms. Snowe. SNOWE: No. CLERK: Ms. Snowe, no. CLERK: Mr. Specter. *** Eastern Time 13:20 *** SPECTER: No. Mr. Specter, no. Mr. Stevens. STEVENS: No. CLERK: Mr. Stevens, no. Mr. Thomas. THOMAS: No. CLERK: Mr. Thomas, no. Mr. Thompson. THOMPSON: No. CLERK: Mr. Thompson, no. Mr. Thurmond. THURMOND: No. CLERK: Mr. Thurmond, no. Mr. Torricelli. TORRICELLI: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Torricelli, aye. Mr. Voinovich. VOINOVICH: No. CLERK: Mr. Voinovich, no. Mr. Warner. WARNER: No. CLERK: Mr. Warner, no. Mr. Wellstone. WELLSTONE: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Wellstone, aye. Mr. Wyden. WYDEN: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Wyden, aye. REHNQUIST: (OFF-MIKE) from Nevada. (UNKNOWN): (OFF-MIKE) should be recorded as voting aye. CLERK: Mr. Bryan. Mr. Bryan, aye. REHNQUIST: On this vote, the yeas are 44, the nays are 56. REHNQUIST: The motion is not agreed to. Now the question occurs on the motion requesting the appearance of witnesses at a deposition to admit evidence offered by the managers on the part of the House of Representatives. The yeas and nays are required. The clerk will call the roll. CLERK: Mr. Abraham. ABRAHAM: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Abraham, aye. Mr. Akaka. AKAKA: No.. CLERK: Mr. Akaka, no. Mr. Allard. ALLARD: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Allard, aye. Mr. Ashcroft. ASHCROFT: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Ashcroft, aye. Mr. Baucus. BAUCUS: No. CLERK: Mr. Baucus, no. Mr. Bayh. BAYH: No. CLERK: Mr. Bayh, no. Mr. Bennett. BENNETT: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Bennett, aye. Mr. Biden. BIDEN: No. CLERK: Mr. Biden, no. CLERK: Mr. Bingaman. BINGAMAN: No. CLERK: Mr. Bingaman, no. Mr. Bond. BOND: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Bond, aye. Mrs. Boxer. BOXER: No. CLERK: Mrs. Boxer, no. Mr. Breaux. BREAUX: No. CLERK: Mr. Breaux, no. Mr. Brownback. BROWNBACK: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Brownback, aye. Mr. Bryan. BRYAN: No. CLERK: Mr. Bryan, no. Mr. Bunning. BUNNING: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Bunning, aye. Mr. Burns. BURNS: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Burns, aye. Mr. Byrd. BYRD: No. CLERK: Mr. Byrd, no. Mr. Campbell. CAMPBELL: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Campbell, aye. Mr. Chafee. CHAFEE: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Chafee, aye. CLERK: Mr. Cleland. CLELAND: No. CLERK: Mr. Cleland, no. Mr. Cochran. COCHRAN: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Cochran, aye. Ms. Collins. COLLINS: Aye. CLERK: Ms. Collins, aye. Mr. Conrad. CONRAD: No. CLERK: Mr. Conrad, no. Mr. Coverdell. COVERDELL: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Coverdell, aye. Mr. Craig. CRAIG: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Craig, aye. Mr. Crapo. CRAPO: (OFF-MIKE) CLERK: Mr. Crapo, aye. Mr. Daschle. Mr. Daschle, no. Mr. DeWine. DEWINE: Aye. CLERK: Mr. DeWine, aye. Mr. Dodd. Mr. Dodd, no. *** Eastern Time 13:24 *** CLERK: Mr. Domenici. DOMENICI: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Domenici, aye. Mr. Dorgan. DORGAN: No. CLERK: Mr. Dorgan, no. Mr. Durbin. DURBIN: No. CLERK: Mr. Durbin, no. Mr. Edwards. EDWARDS: No. CLERK: Mr. Edwards, no. Mr. Enzi. ENZI: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Enzi, aye. Mr. Feingold. FEINGOLD: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Feingold, aye. Mrs. Feinstein. FEINSTEIN: No. CLERK: Mrs. Feinstein, no. Mr. Fitzgerald. FITZGERALD: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Fitzgerald, aye. Mr. Frist. FRIST: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Frist, aye. Mr. Gorton. GORTON: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Gorton, aye. CLERK: Mr. Graham of Florida. GRAHAM: No. CLERK: Mr. Graham of Florida, no. Mr. Gramm of Texas. GRAMM: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Gramm of Texas, aye. Mr. Grams of Minnesota. GRAMS: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Grams of Minnesota, aye. Mr. Grassley. GRASSLEY: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Grassley, aye. Mr. Gregg. GREGG: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Gregg, aye. Mr. Hagel. HAGEL: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Hagel, aye. Mr. Harkin. HARKIN: No. CLERK: Mr. Harkin, no. Mr. Hatch. HATCH: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Hatch, aye. Mr. Helms. HELMS: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Helms, aye. Mr. Hollings. HOLLINGS: No. CLERK: Mr. Hollings, no. Mr. Hutchinson of Arkansas. *** Eastern Time 13:26 *** HUTCHINSON: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Hutchinson of Arkansas, aye. Mrs. Hutchison of Texas. HUTCHISON: Aye. CLERK: Mrs. Hutchison of Texas, aye. Mr. Inhofe. INHOFE: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Inhofe, aye. Mr. Inouye. INOUYE: No. CLERK: Mr. Inouye, no. Mr. Jeffords. JEFFORDS: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Jeffords, aye. Mr. Johnson. JOHNSON: No. CLERK: Mr. Johnson, no. Mr. Kennedy. KENNEDY: No. CLERK: Mr. Kennedy, no. Mr. Kerrey of Nebraska. KERREY: No. CLERK: Mr. Kerrey of Nebraska, no. Mr. Kerry of Massachusetts. KERRY: No. CLERK: Mr. Kerry of Massachusetts, no. Mr. Kohl. KOHL: No. CLERK: Mr. Kohl, no. Mr. Kyl. KYL: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Kyl, aye. Ms. Landrieu. LANDRIEU: No. CLERK: Ms. Landrieu, no. Mr. Lautenberg. LAUTENBERG: No. CLERK: Mr. Lautenberg, no. CLERK: Mr. Leahy. LEAHY: (OFF-MIKE) CLERK: Mr. Leahy, no. Mr. Levin. Mr. Levin, no. Mr. Lieberman. LIEBERMAN: No. CLERK: Mr. Lieberman, no. Mrs. Lincoln. LINCOLN: No. CLERK: Mrs. Lincoln, no. Mr. Lott. LOTT: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Lott, aye. Mr. Lugar. LUGAR: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Lugar, aye. Mr. Mack. MACK: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Mack, aye. Mr. McCain. Mr. McCain, aye. Mr. McConnell. MCCONNELL: Aye. CLERK: Mr. McConnell, aye. Ms. Mikulski. MIKULSKI: No. CLERK: Ms. Mikulski, no. CLERK: Mr. Moynihan. MOYNIHAN: No. CLERK: Mr. Moynihan, no. Mr. Murkowski. MURKOWSKI: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Murkowski, aye. Mrs. Murray. MURRAY: No. CLERK: Mrs. Murray, no Mr. Nickles. NICKLES: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Nickles, aye. Mr. Reed of Rhode Island. REED: No. CLERK: Mr. Reed of Rhode Island, no. Mr. Reid of Nevada. REID: No. CLERK: Mr. Reid of Nevada, no. Mr. Robb. ROBB: No. CLERK: Mr. Robb, no. Mr. Roberts. ROBERTS: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Roberts, aye. Mr. Rockefeller. ROCKEFELLER: No. CLERK: Mr. Rockefeller, no. Mr. Roth. CLERK: Mr. Roth. ROTH: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Roth, aye. Mr. Santorum. SANTORUM: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Santorum, aye. Mr. Sarbanes. SARBANES: No. CLERK: Mr. Sarbanes, no. Mr. Schumer. SCHUMER: No. CLERK: Mr. Schumer, no. Mr. Sessions. SESSIONS: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Sessions, aye. Mr. Shelby. SHELBY: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Shelby, aye. Mr. Smith of New Hampshire. B. SMITH: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Smith of New Hampshire, aye. Mr. Smith of Oregon. G. SMITH: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Smith of Oregon, aye. Ms. Snowe. SNOWE: Aye. CLERK: Ms. Snowe, aye. Mr. Specter. SPECTER: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Specter, aye. CLERK: Mr. Stevens. STEVENS: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Stevens, aye. Mr. Thomas. THOMAS: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Thomas, aye. Mr. Thompson. THOMPSON: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Thompson, aye. Mr. Thurmond. THURMOND: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Thurmond, aye. Mr. Torricelli. TORRICELLI: No. CLERK: Mr. Torricelli, no. Mr. Voinovich. VOINOVICH: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Voinovich, aye. Mr. Warner. WARNER: Aye. CLERK: Mr. Warner, aye. Mr. Wellstone. WELLSTONE: No. CLERK: Mr. Wellstone, no. Mr. Wyden. WYDEN: No. CLERK: Mr. Wyden, no. REHNQUIST: On this vote, the yea's are 56, the nay's are 44. The motion is agreed to. Now what do we do? The chair recognizes the majority leader. LOTT: Mr. Chief Justice, as I indicated earlier, we're attempting now to clarify exactly how this will proceed and to reach agreement with regard to the remaining procedure and the beginning of the deposition process. We're acting in good faith, but we want to make sure we're at least going to try to think about all contingencies, and we're exchanging resolutions and suggestions between Senator Daschle and myself at this time. We may be asked to vote later on today on a procedure. We will let you know if that is necessary today. It could happen tomorrow, but we don't want it to go much longer than that because we need to make sure this procedure is going forward. *** Eastern Time 13:32 *** LOTT: Of course, if we don't have a resolution, I presume it will begin to go forward anyway, but we'd like to have some order in the procedure as we have had in the past. But we -- my thinking at this time is that we would just stand in recess subject to call of the chair while we talk this through. It may not be necessary to do anything further as far as recorded vote, but it may be. So, we just wanted you to be on notice on that. And therefore, I ask unanimous consent, Mr. Chief Justice, that the Senate stand in recess subject to the call of the chair. REHNQUIST: In the absence of objection, it's so ordered. (RECESS) END Testimony index COPYRIGHT 1999 BY FEDERAL DOCUMENT CLEARING HOUSE, INC. 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