U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D - Hawaii) issued the following statement:
"Today I voted in favor of the motion to dismiss the charges against President Clinton. I did so after reviewing thousands of pages of documents detailing the House Manager's evidence and weighing days of presentations before the Senate. Since the start of the trial, I have listened to the forceful presentations by the House Republican Managers, the White House counsel, and the President's defense team in a manner consistent with my oath to do impartial justice.
"The grand jury testimony, the referral from the Independent Counsel, and the House report and related documents simply do not sustain the burden of proof necessary to convict and remove the President. One fact is indisputable: we have all been personally disappointed by the actions of the President. However, the two articles of impeachment, as drafted by the House, fail to meet the level of treason, high crimes and misdemeanors. The House Republican Managers have asked us to believe that impeachment and removal from office is the only way in which the President's personal misconduct can be addressed. Yet, to do so would alter the narrowly defined grounds for impeachment laid out in the Constitution.
"Given my conviction that I do not believe that a case has been made beyond a reasonable doubt on either article of impeachment to warrant the removal from office of the President of the United States, I voted against taking further depositions from Monica Lewinsky, Vernon Jordan, and Sidney Blumenthal. Although House Republican Managers feel it is crucial for Senators to see the 'demeanor, tenor, and tone' of Ms. Lewinsky's testimony, I simply do not believe that it is necessary to question someone who has come to the witness table on at least 22 separate occasions. Do the House Republican Managers realistically suppose that these witnesses might change their numerous testimonies and provide information that was omitted in previous testimony?"
"It is time to end this trial. The motion to dismiss was defeated, and I believe that the Senate should vote on the articles of impeachment without further delay. The majority of the American people want the Senate to get on with the people's business, and I agree. No one can deny that the President deliberately mislead the American people and greatly diminished the public's trust in the Office of the President. However, the President has sought reconciliation with his family and has asked for the public's forgiveness. We are a nation of great and brave people whose compassion is boundless. Let us keep counsel with the proud heritage that built America and shored its foundation in times of need."
