Impeachment Supported by Log Cabin Republican Leader Executive Director Rich Tafel Writes to GOP Congressman Full Text of Tafel's Letter Repeats Current Republican Line

Compiled by GayToday Log Cabin Republican Executive Director Rich Tafel, in a December 15 letter to New York's Republican Congressman, Rep. Rick Lasso, reflects the anti-Clintonism of current Republican pronouncements. The gay Republican leader says he believes that the impeachment proceedings now in the lap of the U.S. Congress have been unleashed to punish President Clinton's lack of "honesty" and that they have nothing to do with his sex life. Tafel told Congressman Lasso: "I'm writing to tell you how impressed I was with your comments about the impeachment issue last Sunday on CNN's Late Edition. "When you were asked about the pressures you are facing in your district, you answered that voting against impeaching President Clinton was clearly the easier political choice, but you went on to say that you weren't making this decision simply on what was better for you, but what was better for the country." Agreeing with the Congressional Judicial Committee's chair, Representative Henry "Youthful Indiscretion" Hyde, Tafel pontificated: "That is precisely what every Member of Congress, especially the Republicans, should be saying right now. Rich Tafel "While you will receive letters and phone calls all day from people seeking to influence your vote, I wanted to tell you that you will continue to have the full support of Log Cabin Republicans regardless of your decision on this issue. "If I believed that this issue was some sort of attack against the President for his personal sexual behavior, clearly it would have been something I would have opposed long ago, but I don't believe this is about sex. I believe it is about honesty and the importance of honesty under oath. Every gay man and woman takes great risk in telling the truth as they come out, and we know the value of speaking the truth regardless of the personal risk. "Thank you for your principled statements, and for safeguarding your conscience for this momentous decision. We look forward to continuing to work closely with you and supporting you in future endeavors." carbon copies to:The Honorable Christopher Shays The Honorable Deborah Pryce The Honorable Jim Kolbe The Honorable Mark Foley The Honorable Brian Bilbray The Honorable Tom Campbell The Honorable Connie Morella The Honorable Ben Gilman The Honorable Nancy Johnson The Honorable Jim Greenwood The Honorable Sherwood Boehlert The Honorable Steve Horn The Honorable Mike Castle The Honorable Sue Kelly The Honorable Jim Leach The Honorable John Porter The Honorable Fred Upton Related Stories in GayToday's Archives: People to U.S. Congress: 'Let's Move On!' Historian: White House Sex Scandal 'Terrible Moment' in U.S. Journalism Related Sites: Log Cabin Republicans GayToday does not endorse related sites.

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