Hyde Calls for End to Prying Into Sex

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Henry J. Hyde (R-Ill.) called Friday for an end to prying into the sex lives of politicians.

Hyde, who chairs the committee that called for President Clinton’s impeachment on allegations he lied to conceal a sexual affair, said the American public was not well served by exposing the private “sexual misadventures” of lawmakers.

He commented a day after House Speaker-elect Bob Livingston (R-La.) admitted to extramarital affairs.

The 74-year-old Hyde, who himself admitted in September to “youthful indiscretions” about 30 years ago, warned that the political careers of “good people” were at stake.

“It’s very sad that politics has reached that level, and I think it’s curious that it’s happening right now,” Hyde told reporters as the House neared a vote on articles of impeachment against Clinton. “It’s a deplorable tendency that has no relevance to anything.”

Livingston, who was chosen last month to succeed Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) as speaker, stunned Washington on Thursday by acknowledging past “indiscretions” the day before the House started its historic impeachment debate.

In a statement released after Roll Call newspaper exposed the affairs, Livingston charged that the timing of the report on the eve of the impeachment debate stemmed from individuals working “to find indiscretions which may be exploitable against me and my party.”

Hyde had his own past sex life spotlighted in September. His admission came only after the Internet magazine Salon, widely seen as favoring the Democratic Clinton, revealed Hyde’s affair with a woman. Both were married to others at the time.

Republicans have rallied around Livingston, drawing a sharp distinction between the Louisiana lawmaker’s admission and Clinton’s situation.

They stressed that Clinton was charged with committing perjury to hide his affair with former White House intern Monica S. Lewinsky. Livingston said he had not been involved with an employee and did not lie under oath.

“We’re talking about perjury and obstruction of justice, which are different and are public acts that are distinguished from private acts,” Hyde said.