Impeachment

Re “Hyde Asks Clinton to ‘Admit or Deny’ Key Allegations,” Nov. 6: The problem with House Judiciary Chairman Henry Hyde’s request that President Clinton admit or deny 81 detailed factual allegations is that it again puts the cart before the horse. We must first ascertain whether anything in the Starr report constitutes an impeachable offense and only if so, then focus on that. You don’t try the facts before you determine whether the conduct is criminal. You do it the other way around.

ROBERT S. HENRY

San Gabriel

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Chairman Hyde did not consult his full committee, he only consulted the Republicans on the committee to get their views on this approach to, in my view, trap the president. The first question surely reveals what this so-called impartial hearing is trying to accomplish.

JOHN BUCCHERI

Thousand Oaks

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I hope that Clinton can finally answer some difficult questions honestly and directly. He now has the opportunity to lay most, if not all, of this matter to rest. If, however, he continues to maintain that he told the truth at the Jones deposition and broke no laws (or even bent a few) then he will have invited, indeed demanded, a formal impeachment trial in the Senate.

I voted for Clinton when he ran against George Bush in ‘92, and I regret that decision. I thought I was voting for change and a new beginning. What I’ve discovered is that I voted for a very artful liar who will do anything, but anything, to hold onto his job. The country deserves a better president than this.

GREG MARAGOS

Los Angeles

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Kids are lectured daily about not giving into peer pressure, and yet, the adult world is run on peer pressure. After a status quo election with inconsequential gains for Democrats in the House, those calling for impeachment are expected to abandon their principles overnight. That’s the real message about peer pressure that’s out there, and kids are as privy to it as anyone.

ARNO KEKS

El Monte

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Hyde’s “scaled-down” impeachment proceedings are just more of the same medieval harassment. Eighty-one questions are too many. Clinton already apologized to the American people.

NORI MUSTER

Los Angeles