Thrusday, January 07, 1999
Lucas bolts party ranks on first day
BY PATRICK CROWLEY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
WASHINGTON — Ken Lucas had been a member of the House for less than five hours when he crossed party lines to vote against the president.
Mr. Lucas, the Boone County Democrat sworn in Wednesday as the 4th Congressional District representative, voted with the Republican majority to recommit two articles of impeachment against President Clinton to the Senate.
Even though the previous Congress passed two articles of impeachment on Dec. 19 the new 106th Congress had to again vote to appoint the House managers, essentially the pros ecutors who will present the case.
Among the managers is Rep. Steve Chabot, R-Cincinnati.
“This was basically a formality today in appointing these managers and funding their work,” Mr. Lucas said.
“I voted for it because this process has already begun. The president has already been impeached, and I think it's important for us to get the thing done and get on with the work the American people sent us here to do.”
Mr. Lucas said he couldn't simply vote against the bill just because he and the president are in the same party.
“What the president did was inexcusable,” he said. “I have to look my kids and grandkids in the eye and tell them what the president did was wrong ... and he needs to be punished.”
John Lapp, Mr. Lucas' chief of staff, said Mr. Lucas thinks independently.
“He is not beholden to Democrats, to Republicans or even the president of the United States.”
Mr. Lucas, 65, took the oath of office with the rest of the House at 2:01 p.m.
His wife, Mary, and five children were in the gallery. He was joined on the floor by two of his six grandchildren, Taylor, 9, and Kenton, 8, who waited more than two hours for their grandpa to take the brief oath of office.
Mr. Lucas will be under intense scrutiny by Northern Kentucky and national Republican leaders.
They are eager to see if he votes like the conservative candidate he ran as in beating Republican state Sen. Gex “Jay” Williams of Boone County in November for the seat vacated by Jim Bunning, who was elected to the Senate.
Three Northern Kentucky GOP leaders met late Wednesday afternoon here with Republican Party officials to talk about recruiting a candidate to run against Mr. Lucas in 2000 and to start plotting political and fund-raising strategy.
“When Ken Lucas looks over his shoulder, we're going to be here,” said Boone County Republican Party Chairman Jay Hall.
“We'll be ready for them,” said Mr. Lapp, hinting Mr. Lucas has already begun plotting his own re-election strategy.
Mr. Lucas does have a conservative political philosophy. He is against abortion and gun control, and for capital punishment and school prayer.
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