Crofton Online: Congressional Watch
Gilchrest Rebuffs His Constituents; Says He Will Vote For Impeachment
Local Congressman Puts Party Above Principle

Crofton area Congressman Wayne T. Gilchrest thumbed his nose at his constituents today [December 16, 1998] by announcing that, despite assurances to the contrary, he will vote to impeach the President of the United States. The President faces impeachment because he did not get advance approval from Republican fundamentalist Kenneth Starr before engaging in private consentual sex with another adult.

Congressman Gilchrest's decision to put party above principle suprised many observers, who now say that the congressman has apparently decided this will be his last term in Congress.

The now lame duck Gilchrest met with constituents several days before the last election, indicating that he would vote against impeachment. In fact, he told us that only one Republican on the House Judiciary Committee wanted to impeach the President, and that the entire matter would be over before Christmas. He told us that he based this assessment on his conversations with Judiciary Committee Chairman Republican Henry Hyde, an admitted long term adulterer.

Once the election was over, however, Gilchrest began to change his tune, and has now joined forces with tobacco lobbyist Kenneth Starr, Republican Puritan Jerry Falwell, and televangalist faith healer Pat Robertson in their efforts to overthrow the legally elected government of the United States.

A source inside Gilchrest's congressional office said that the congressman assumes his constituents have short memories and will completely forget about the issue within weeks. The source also discounted Gilchrest's efforts to mislead voters before the election, saying "That's the way the political system works."


For coverage of the anti-impeachment group MoveOn.org's December 16 press conference, click here.
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