Second Senator Quits Caucus Because of Clinton Support

Posted By: March 29, 2013

Washington, D.C., October 15, 1998 — A second U.S. Senator has quit as a “Congressional Friend” of the Irish National Caucus, because of its campaign against the impeachment of President Clinton.

Senator James Jeffords, a Republican from Vermont, has asked the Irish National Caucus to remove his name from the letterhead where the Caucus lists 81 names of Congressional Friends, both Republicans and Democrats.

Last week Senator Strom Thurmond was the first to ask that his name be taken off.

These defections are because the Congress wrote to all Members of the U.S. Congress, House and Senate, condemning attempts to impeach President Clinton.

Writing on behalf of the Caucus, President Fr. Sean McManus told the Members:

“Irish-Americans — an ethnic group that supports family values and the rule of law as much as any other group — are appalled and outraged by attempts to drive President Clinton from office.

The President sinned sexually and tried to conceal it. That — and that alone — is what this sorry issue is about. To try to impeach the President for that would be to trivialize and demean the impeachment process. Jefferson, Madison, and Mason would be turning in their graves at such an absurd prospect. The President did not use his Office to subvert the Constitution or to destroy the American system of government.

The President has confessed his sin and has asked for forgiveness. Let those in Congress without sin cast the first stone. History and the voters will render a decisive judgment on

Members of Congress who for their own selfish, self-righteous, or partisan reasons try to destroy the Presidency of Bill Clinton.”

Commenting on Senator Jeffords resignation, Fr. Sean McManus said, “I’m disappointed at his partisanship. I expected better from Senator Jeffords. I thought, also, that he would have more respect for Irish-Americans in the State of Vermont.”