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NEWS FROM THE LIBERTARIAN PARTY
2600 Virginia Avenue, NW, Suite 100
Washington DC 20037
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For release: January 22, 1998
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For additional information:
George Getz, Press Secretary
Phone: (202) 333-0008 Ext. 222
E-Mail: 76214.3676@Compuserve.com
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Libertarian Party takes a novel approach to
Clinton's latest sex scandal: We don't care
        WASHINGTON, DC -- Here's what Libertarians think about
President Bill Clinton's newest White House sex scandal: We don't care.
        "It would be a shame if Clinton was forced to resign or was
impeached over allegations he pressured a White House intern to lie
about an alleged sexual affair," said Steve Dasbach, the party's
chairman.
        "It would be a shame because Clinton would then face judgment
over a simple moral or legal issue -- and not face judgment over the
fact that while president, he routinely violated the Constitution,
trampled Americans' civil liberties, and vastly expanded the size and
cost of the federal government.
        "Frankly, we're less interested in Bill's wrongs than what he's
done to the Bill of Rights," said Dasbach.
        For the last 48 hours, the nation has been abuzz over
allegations that Special Prosecutor Kenneth Starr has a tape of a
24-year-old former White House intern claiming to have had an affair
with Clinton -- and alleging that the president asked her to lie about
it when testifying about his last scandal du jour, the Paula Jones
sexual harassment case.
        If the allegations are true, Clinton could face impeachment --
a scenario which is already being discussed on Capitol Hill.
        Dasbach said the Libertarian Party is taking no position on the
allegations, or whether Clinton is guilty, or deserves to be impeached.
        "It's our policy not to comment on this type of political
scandal," he said. "We'll leave the legal issues up to a judge or jury,
and the moral issues up to the American public. We Libertarians know
that allegations come and go; sleazy and corrupt politicians come and
go; and special prosecutors come and go.
        "The problem is that the growth of government continues
onward -- no matter what scandal is titillating the media that particular
day. And such scandals simply distract us from the important question:
What is the proper role of government in a free society?
        "That's why we're less interested in whether Bill Clinton
committed perjury in the Paula Jones case than whether he committed
perjury when he put his hand on a Bible and took the oath of office for
the presidency, swearing to '...protect and defend the Constitution of
the United States.' "
        Besides, said Dasbach, even if Bill Clinton is impeached, and
is replaced by some other big-government, tax-squandering,
liberties-violating politician, what has been gained?
        "America wouldn't be any better off with a president who raises
taxes, censors the Internet, nationalizes the health care industry,
expands wire-tapping, supports unconstitutional terrorist legislation,
sends American troops to die in foreign nations, and restricts the
Second Amendment -- but who happens to otherwise be a moral, honest
man," he said.
        Dasbach said the Libertarian Party's laissez faire attitude
over the charges doesn't mean that Libertarians don't care about moral
issues, or don't care whether the president lied.
        "As individuals, we care deeply," he said. "But as a political
party, we've got our sights set on a higher goal: Restoring liberty
in America. And we're not going to let any scandal -- no matter how
lurid -- distract us from that goal."
The Libertarian Party                                      http://www.lp.org/
2600 Virginia Ave. NW, Suite 100                          voice: 202-333-0008
Washington DC 20037                                         fax: 202-333-0072
For subscription changes, please mail to  with the
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Take care!
Michael McReary
mcreary@gte.net
michael.mcreary@pss.boeing.com
http://home1.gte.net/mcreary
... I wonder if Hillary gave Bill flowers for his birthday.
--- GoldED/386 3.00.Alpha4+
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