Cox Supports the Release of Videotape

Among those speaking up Wednesday for release of the videotape of President Clinton’s grand jury testimony was Rep. Christopher Cox.

The Newport Beach Republican, who is vice chairman of the House Oversight and Investigations Committee, said, “The president’s credibility is the issue. It is important for us to review the record.”

Besides, Cox said, it would be impossible to keep the video from the public if it went to all 435 House members, for someone surely would give it to the press.

“It’s bound to leak,” he said. “It seems to me it’s much better to get it out before it leaks. . . . You just can’t keep it a national security secret if all 435 members see it.”

Cox, who worked in the White House counsel’s office during the Ronald Reagan administration, noted that Reagan’s videotaped testimony in Adm. John M. Poindexter’s federal criminal trial was released to the public.

“When Admiral Poindexter, who had served President Reagan as his national security advisor, went on trial in connection with the Iran-Contra affair, President Reagan gave eight hours of videotaped deposition testimony,” Cox said. “That videotaped deposition testimony was released simultaneously to all of the networks as it was introduced in that criminal proceeding in court.”

Other Orange County Republicans in Congress also weighed in Wednesday on the Clinton sex scandal, and none ruled out the possibility of impeachment hearings.

“I think he’s sorry, but admitting you made a mistake . . . is not sufficient--not under our system, not under God’s system, not under any system we live in,” said Rep. Ron Packard (R-Vista). “If I rape someone and say I’m sorry, does it end there? No, it doesn’t. I go to prison.

“If he doesn’t resign, I think it will be heading for impeachment hearings,” Packard said.

Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, who co-sponsored legislation last year to begin impeachment proceedings against Clinton, said he is withholding judgment, though.

“I’m going to listen to [Clinton’s] defense,” the Huntington Beach Republican said.

But damage to the presidency may already have been done, Rohrabacher said. “It would seem that the president has been mortally weakened.”

Rep. Ed Royce (R-Fullerton) said he is “extremely disappointed in President Clinton” and called on the president to tell the whole story.

“Separately, the allegations of lying under oath, witness tampering and alleged cover-up are of enormous gravity,” Royce said. Congress has no choice but to begin an impeachment inquiry, Royce said.