BY PAUL BARTON
Enquirer Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON -- Rep. Lee Hamilton of Indiana was the lone Tristate Democrat who joined the Republican majority Thursday in voting for a wide-ranging impeachment inquiry against President Clinton.
Reps. Ted Strickland and Scotty Baesler, two Democrats in tough election battles, voted against the Republican plan, saying they wanted a deadline on the effort.
All area Republicans sup ported the unrestricted inquiry. They were Reps. John Boehner of West Chester, Steve Chabot of Cincinnati, Rob Portman of Terrace Park and Jim Bunning of Southgate.
Mr. Hamilton, the only area congressman who served during Watergate, was not under any political pressure to stick with his party's leadership. He is retiring after 34 years in the House.
"At the end, as the president says, you have to vote your conscience, and on a matter of this importance, I am simply not comfortable with a defeat of (inquiry) resolutions, because what that means is the process comes to an end, the president's conduct is not in any way reproached or rebuked," he said in a statement.
Mr. Strickland, of Lucasville, Ohio, and Mr. Baesler, of Lexington, Ky., supported the Democratic alternative of recommitting the matter to the House Judiciary Committee and having it set a Dec. 31 deadline.
Mr. Strickland is in a hotly competitive re-election race in the 6th Congressional District against Lt. Gov. Nancy Hollister, who has called for Mr.
Clinton's resignation.
Mr. Baesler is running for the U.S. Senate in Kentucky against Mr. Bunning.
Mr. Strickland was emphatic that his vote should not be interpreted as pro-Clinton. "I did not vote for the president today. I voted for my constituents and the American people," he said.
"I remain unhappy with the president's behavior, but what I tried to do today was enable the American people to know the truth, but do it in a way that we can bring this matter to a conclusion." Mr. Baesler said he continues to regard the president's actions as "shameful and disgraceful."
He added: "This debate is not about whether to proceed with an impeachment inquiry. Rather, it is about how we should proceed. It is about fairness."
Mr. Bunning said the charges against the president "are serious and some of the claims made against the president are compelling." "While I do not think than an arbitrary deadline should be imposed on the panel, for the good of the country I believe it is incumbent upon the committee to work with all deliberate speed," .Mr. Bunning said.
Other area Republicans stressed that the evidence pointing toward possible perjury is too grave to ignore.
"When credible evidence is put forth to suggest that a president has refused to abide by the rule of law, the Constitution leaves Congress no choice but to investigate and investigate completely," said Mr. Boehner, chairman of the House Republican Conference.
Mr. Chabot, a member of the Judiciary Committee, was the only member of the Cincinnati delegation who got an opportunity to deliver a floor speech during the limited debate.
"I would submit that strong evidence exists that the president may have committed perjury, and the historic record demonstrates that perjury can be an impeachable offense," Mr. Chabot said.
Of approving an impeachment inquiry, he said, "Rarely in one's political life is one forced to confront such an awesome and historic responsibility."
Mr. Portman, who called last month for Mr. Clinton's resignation, said, "Let's remember that President Clinton's actions have forced Congress to take this step."
