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Text 2: This is Why We Have Impeachment
Here is a part of an article of The Wall Street Journal, written by Robert Barr and published on January 22, 1998.
Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr's recent authorization to investigate allegations that President Clinton conducted a sexual affair in the White House with a 21-year-old intern, then attempted to tamper with a witness, to obstruct justice, and to induce her to commit perjury has drawn wide attention, as it should. The matter once again raises the troubling question of how best to hold the president accountable for his actions. Some might now argue that this scandal, as it has developed in the past few days, shows that the independent counsel statute has teeth and the Justice Department has integrity. But in fact we know that such important matters deserve a forceful political reaction – including possible impeachment proceedings – if only because the independent counsel law, so beloved inside the Beltway, has proved unworkable. Following public revulsion on a mass scale over the Watergate scandal. Congress in 1978 passed legislation to allow «independent counsels» to investigate and prosecute top executive branch officials suspected of wrongdoing. The law has been used, on the whole, quite effectively, resulting in many successful prosecutions, such as those of former Arkansas Gov. Jim Guy Tucker and Tyson Foods Inc. It has also served as a potent encouragement for top officials to follow the law. Lately, however, this well-intended law has ceased to serve its purpose, and is now working to hide the wrongdoing it was meant to expose. Rather than a sword to fight corruption, the independent counsel statute is being used as a shield to protect a rogue executive by a complicit Justice Department. Justices thwarted and corruption becomes the norm. Attorney General Janet Reno and a three-judge panel of the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals acted promptly on Mr. Starr's request to expand his mandate to cover the president's role in alleged perjury from Monica Lewinsky, who claims to be his former lover. But it's doubtful whether Mr. Starr can indeed gather evidence sufficient to prove a criminal case against the president, and even more unlikely that under our Constitution a sitting president can be prosecuted through the courts for criminal conduct. The question then becomes: How do we fight corruption at the highest levels of government without special prosecutors? The answer is simple: We do what we did before 1978. We use the mechanisms provided in the Constitution, including if necessary the process of impeachment. Even before the news about the former White House intern, Mr. Clinton had provided sufficient grounds for the House to begin a debate on drawing up articles of impeachment. His alleged conduct with Ms. Lewinsky, if true, only adds to an already imposing mountain of evidence against the president. Because history does frequently repeat itself, Congress may indeed be moved by public outcry to enact a new version of the independent counsel statute. But for now, this law should be removed from the books. Keeping it while openly and brazenly refusing to enforce it does too much harm to the credibility of federal law enforcement. Instead it's time for Congress to step into the breach and perform its constitutionally mandated role to root out corruption in the executive branch.
Vocabulary notes
§ Comprehension questions to answer:
1 Who is the author of this article? 2 Who is Mr. Starr? 3 What charges were made against President Clinton? 4 Is impeachment legal in the USA? 5 Were impeachment proceedings in progress against President Clinton at that time?
Words and Grammar
a Match the following abbreviations and the full words:
b Match the full and shortened forenames:
с Match the synonyms and write down a few sentences with these words:
d Use the correct articles and make a few sentences with these words:
... USA Congress ... District of Columbia ... D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ... Northern District of Georgia ... House Judiciary Committee ... independent counsel ... Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr ... President Clinton ... Attorney General Janet Reno ... former Arkansas Gov. Jim Guy Tucker ... Watergate scandal ... Wall Street Journal ... White House ... Justice Department ... Beltway
e Underline the basic words and translate the following word combinations:
top executive branch officials............................................................................. the independent counsel statute.......................................................................... the independent counsel law.............................................................................. possible impeachment proceedings.................................................................... federal law enforcement..................................................................................... a 21-year-old intern............................................................................................ a three-judge panel.............................................................................................
f Underline the infinitives and translate the following word combinations:
his recent authorization to investigate these allegations legislation to allow «independent counsels» to prosecute top executive branch officials encouragement for top officials to follow the law his request to expand the mandate to cover the President's role evidence sufficient to prove a criminal case against the President sufficient grounds for the House to begin a debate its constitutionally mandated role to root out corruption a sword to fight corruption a shield to protect executives g Say what participles the words in italics are and write down a few sentences with these word combinations:
the troubling questions a sitting president including possible impeachment proceedings following public revulsion officials suspected of wrongdoing the mechanisms provided in the Constitution the law has been used resulting in many successful prosecutions
h Mark the word combinations associated with impeachment, with a tick:
“ to tamper with a witness “ to obstruct justice “ to commit perjury “ to hold the president accountable for his actions “ to expose the wrongdoing “ to fight corruption “ justice is thwarted “ corruption becomes the norm a president can be prosecuted through the courts for criminal conduct “ a debate on drawing up article of impeachment “ impeachment proceedings “ evidence against the president “ to root out corruption in the executive branch
i Insert the following words from the box:
1 The independent...............law, so beloved inside the Beltway, has proved unworkable. 2 The president attempted to induce her to commit............... 3 The counsel statute is being used as a shield to protect a...............executive by a...............Justice Department. 4 The law has been used quite effectively, resulting in many successful............... 5 His alleged conduct with Ms. Lewinsky only adds to an already imposing mountain of...............against the president.
j Translate the following into English and make a few sentences of your own:
бороться с коррупцией....................................................................... искоренить коррупцию....................................................................... подкупать свидетеля....................................................................... лжесвидетельствовать....................................................................... показания против президента....................................................................... процедура импичмента........................................................................ закон о независимых адвокатах........................................................................ принять закон следовать закону........................................................................
Suggested activities
k Say what words in the text prove that:
• there is a lot of evidence against President Clinton • the author shares public opinion that the President should be kept responsible • the author thinks it is next to impossible to prosecute a president
l Repeat what the author said about:
• Mr. Starr's activities • the Watergate scandal • the persecution of J.G. Tucker • Janet Reno • the American Constitution
m What do you think the author meant by the following words:
this scandal a forceful political reaction public revulsion well-intended law a sword to fight corruption a shield to protect a rogue executive imposing mountain of evidence It's time for Congress to step into the breach.
n Sum up what:
the newspaper said about Robert Barr Robert Barr said about accountability of President Clinton
о Write out Robert Barr's statements about:
• the independent counsel statute • corruption • impeachment
p Classroom discussion: • Watergate scandal resulting in President Nickson's resignation to avoid impeachment • President Bozis Yeltsin facing impeachment and the Duma, the lower house of Russia's Parliament, activities.
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