It couldn't have been more than a couple of days ago that I heard yet another example of White House lawyerism, by White House lawyers, as a matter of fact. The latest gobstopper is that the American public doesn't really understand the articles of impeachment, that Article I is only about Clinton's testimony in the August 17 grand jury proceeding and that it is *only about his testimony regarding Monica Lewinsky*. So, let's see who really knows what's in that particular article of impeachment, shall we?

You can access a full version of the Articles of Impeachment at http://www.bongos-fallout-shelter.freeservers.com/menu.html , or http://home.fiberia.com/bongosfs/menu.html , or http://members.theglobe.com/bongosfs/menu.html ; click on the link for "HRES 611 RDS Clinton Impeachment Articles ( zipfile )." Here is the text of Article I, word for word, in its entirety:

Article I

In his conduct while President of the United States, William Jefferson Clinton, in violation of his constitutional oath faithfully to execute the office of President of the United States and, to the best of his ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States, and in violation of his constitutional duty to take care that the laws be faithfully executed, has willfully corrupted and manipulated the judicial process of the United States for his personal gain and exoneration, impeding the administration of justice, in that:

On August 17, 1998, William Jefferson Clinton swore to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth before a Federal grand jury of the United States. Contrary to that oath, William Jefferson Clinton willfully provided perjurious, false and misleading testimony to the grand jury concerning one or more of the following:

(1) the nature and details of his relationship with a subordinate Government employee;

(2) prior perjurious, false and misleading testimony he gave in a Federal civil rights action brought against him;

(3) prior false and misleading statements he allowed his attorney to make to a Federal judge in that civil rights action; and

(4) his corrupt efforts to influence the testimony of witnesses and to impede the discovery of evidence in that civil rights action.

In doing this, William Jefferson Clinton has undermined the integrity of his office, has brought disrepute on the Presidency, has betrayed his trust as President, and has acted in a manner subversive of the rule of law and justice, to the manifest injury of the people of the United States.

Wherefore, William Jefferson Clinton, by such conduct, warrants impeachment and trial, and removal from office and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust or profit under the United States.

Among other things, notice the phrase 'his corrupt efforts to influence the testimony of *witnesses*' (my emphasis) in section 4 of Article I. This would tend to indicate to me (and to anyone else who has a brain) that this involves more than just Lewinsky. But I guess the White House lawyers don't think the American public has any intelligence or common sense whatsoever.

They got one out of three right, anyway. Article I is only about Clinton's testimony in the August 17, 1998 grand jury proceeding of Ken Starr. But the rest is a plain fabrication with the obvious intent, as usual, of misleading as many of the American people as possible.

A lie should at least be somewhere near the truth for it to be believable.

- The Watcher (I rest my case.)