Raj Feridun wrote:
> On Sun, 31 Oct 2004 20:18:08 -0500, Kevin Gowen
> <kgowenNOSPAM@myfastmail.com> wrote:
>
>>>>> Clinton's not the first president to cheat on his first lady.
>>>>> He's the first to get caught in the act.
>
>>>> I thought he was the first to perjure himself.
>
>>> No, that was Nixon. Can't you get anything right?
>
>> When did Nixon perjure himself?
>
> When was Clinton convicted of perjury? Last I checked the perjury
> charge was defeated by the (Republican majority) Senate 55-45. Has
> that since changed?

What they defeated was a charge of having committed a high crime or
misdemeanor under Article II Section 4 of the U.S. Constitution. The charge
itself said essentially that he committed perjury, which "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." Any one or every one of the senators who said no to this charge
could just as likely have been saying no to the latter element, while fully
believing that he did in fact commit perjury.

And Kevin is right in that Nixon never perjured himself (he resigned before
ever being put in a position to have to perjure himself), although he almost
certainly lied.

Jeff