UNIMPEACHMENT
Squeamish Republicans in the Senate may have found a clever way to avoid doing their Constitutional duty following the impeachment of President Clinton, but it requires them essentially to rebuke their House colleagues. In fact, they are heading toward what might be called an "unimpeachment."

Majority Leader Trent Lott is reportedly planning a trial that will last only six or seven days, wrapping up before Clinton's January 19 State of the Union address. He also won't permit any witnesses to appear (a key component of a quick trial), despite requests from House Republicans that they do. After both sides have briefly made their cases, a vote would be taken, not on whether to convict Clinton, but on whether the alleged offenses are in fact impeachable. In other words, the Senate would repeat what the House already has done. If less than two-thirds of the chamber votes in the affirmative, as seems almost certain, the Senate would then entertain a resolution to end the trial. Republicans who had just finished casting a vote meant to please their conservative constituents could then flip sides, arguing that there is no sense in prolonging this "national nightmare" because there is no plausible way Clinton can be removed. A majority--made up mainly of Democrats but including enough Republicans--would vote for the trial to end. There would be no actual vote on removal.

This strategy is an odd reversal for Lott, who blasted Clinton two weeks ago for bombing Iraq on the eve of the House impeachment vote. But he may in fact be responding to the wishes of GOP colleagues who are quietly telling him to make the impeachment issue go away. Or he may be responding to criticism of his Iraq statement, or the allegations about his speaking before a white supremacist group several years ago.

Whatever the case, this is a dereliction of duty. The Senate should avoid a sham trial and permit witnesses to appear. Then it should vote on whether or not to convict. Those who support Clinton's removal probably won't like the result, but at least the Senate will have cast a meaningful vote.