Wayne Owens to Testify

(12/7/98)

A former Congressman from Utah will be among those called to testify in President Clinton's defense. News Specialist Shelley Osterloh spoke with Wayne Owens, who has some experience when it comes to impeachment hearings.

As a freshman congressmen from Utah, Owens sat on the 1974 House Judiciary Committee that held impeachment hearings for President Richard Nixon. And, along with others, he voted for impeachment. Nixon, of course resigned before the House voted. In August 1974 Nixon spoke the historic words, "I will resign from office effective noon tomorrow."

Besides bringing back memories, Owens say he is struck by the differences between the two hearings. "The committee was intimidated by the fact that for 100 years no president had been challenged and we were concerned that we do it the right way, in bi-partisan spirit," Owens says. "This committee has made all of its decisions on a straight party line," he observes.

Owens also says there are differences in the crime committed. He says Nixon abused his presidential powers, having the C.I.A, Secret Service and F.B.I. cover up crimes, to benefit his political career. "This is a totally different case," he says. "This isn't the kind of case you ought to throw a President out of office. and the country is ahead of the Congress. The country doesn't want him impeached."

"I think he ought to be punished, but you don't throw a president out of office for those human misdeeds," Owens says. "He didn't use the presidential office to hurt others, and to perpetrate high crimes and misdemeanors. That's just not the case here."