House of Representatives Impeaches President Clinton on Perjury and Obstruction Charges

The U.S. House of Representatives votes to impeach President Bill Clinton on two articles: perjury before a grand jury (Article I, passed 228-206) and obstruction of justice (Article II, passed 221-212). Clinton becomes the second American president to be impeached, the first being Andrew Johnson in 1868. The impeachment stems from Clinton’s relationship with White House intern Monica Lewinsky and his subsequent testimony denying the relationship in a sexual harassment lawsuit brought by Paula Jones.

Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr’s investigation concluded that Clinton committed perjury by lying about the nature of his relationship with Lewinsky during his deposition in the Jones case, and obstructed justice by encouraging Lewinsky and others to provide false testimony. The Starr Report, delivered to Congress in September 1998, outlined eleven possible grounds for impeachment. The House rejected two other articles of impeachment: perjury in the Jones deposition (defeated 229-205) and abuse of power (defeated 285-148).

The impeachment vote fell largely along partisan lines, with Republicans voting for impeachment and Democrats opposing it. Clinton’s public approval ratings remained at an all-time high near 70 percent throughout the proceedings, with Americans supporting censure over removal but giving Clinton low marks for character and honesty. The case raised significant questions about presidential accountability, the scope of impeachable offenses, and whether lying about a private sexual relationship constitutes “high crimes and misdemeanors” warranting removal from office.