January 25, 1999
Web posted at: 6:49 p.m. EDT (1849 GMT)

WASHINGTON (AllPolitics, January 25) -- Despite a first-round defeat, two senators said Monday they intend to press for open Senate deliberations at every possible opportunity in President Bill Clinton's impeachment trial.

"This is not a private club," Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa said after the Senate voted to keep its deliberations secret. "That Senate floor belongs to the American people."

Harkin and Sen. Paul Wellstone had sought a two-thirds vote by the Senate to change its rules and conduct its impeachment deliberations in public. But their effort fell far short, with only 43 senators voting in favor of open deliberations and 57 senators opposed.

Harkin, obviously disappointed, shook his head as he said the vote was "an affront to every American taxpayer." He predicted the vote would "live in infamy."

Wellstone noted that there will not even be a transcript of the Senate's deliberations. "The only thing people will know is how we voted," Wellstone said. "This is a huge mistake."

The two senators vowed to push for opening the deliberations at each step along the way. Harkin noted, too, that Senate rules bar members from talking about what goes on in secret sessions and if members do, others could seek their expulsion from the Senate.

Opponents of open deliberations have said the Senate may be able to get more done in private by avoiding members posturing for the cameras.

Monday, January 25, 1999

• Tight-lipped senators emerge from closed-door session
• Transcript: Motion to dismiss introduced in Senate impeachment trial
• Text of Republican senators' questions to Clinton
• Harkin, Wellstone vow to keep pushing for open deliberations
• Poll: Americans do not want Senate to convict Clinton
• Second female attorney to argue for Clinton before Senate
• Analysis: Senate should deliberate in public
• Poll: Most say stop impeachment trial now
• Bush says Clinton apparently disrespected office
• Paula Jones shows up at Clinton speech in Arkansas
• Al Franken has disturbing visions of his 'presidency'
• Supreme Court: Sampling can't be used for census
• Clinton plan seeks further drop in welfare rolls
• Bradley kicks off campaign for the White House
• Kentucky governor files for re-election
• Who voted how on closing deliberations
• Anti-abortion leader questions wisdom of 'Spring of Life' reunion
• For one senator, Johnson impeachment vote began with a slave

ARCHIVES

Search CNN/AllPolitics by           Enter keyword(s)       go    help