Extra funds for Clinton impeachment

To impeach Clinton, the special counsel has to prove beyond reasonable doubt that Clinton quot;lied and obstructed justicequot;. But there has been no indication of such attempts so far. Even if proof on it is made available, impeachment of the President requires a two-third majority, which the Republicans lack, as the Democrats have rallied behind Clinton.

Hence, so far, the threat of impeaching Clinton appears more psychological than real. Except an adultery incident involving Jennifer Flowers, which Clinton has admitted and which is not an issue, all other cases involveaccusations with nothing being proved.

Moreover, Clinton faces no pressure from the American public with all polls showing the people were not bothered about what Clinton had been doing in private so long as the economy continues to be strong.

Meanwhile, proceedings in the case continued yesterday with the grand jury conducting a hearing of Jodie Torkelson, Clinton8217;s assistant for management and administration, presumably regarding Lewinsky8217;s transfer from the White House to the Pentagon.

Marsha Scott appeared on Thursday for a second time in a week before the grand jurors, who have heard from a half-dozen witnesses who played roles in Lewinsky8217;s White House work prior to her April 1996 reassignment to the Defense Department.

After Scott finished testifying, the President8217;s chief of Oval office operations, Nancy Hernreich, made her second appearance at the courthouse. She sees virtually everyone who enters the President8217;s office.

The testimony of witnesses familiar with Lewinsky8217;s role could bevaluable to prosecutors, even if the staffers were unaware of a Clinton-Lewinsky sexual relationship. They might be able to shed light on Lewinsky8217;s frequent appearances around the Oval office despite her low-level tasks 8212; a possible factor in her transfer.

Scott has known Clinton from his days as an Arkansas Governor, and an incident in his deposition in the Jones case indicates she8217;s a confidante of the President.

The office of independent counsel Kenneth Starr has also subpoenaed documents and depositions of four women questioned by the attorneys of Paula Jones.