National Women's Leaders Oppose Live Testimony At Senate Trial

Statement of Eleanor Smeal, President of the Feminist Majority

I am proud to join today with national women's leaders and leading women members of Congress to urge the United States Senate to put an end to this spectacle of hypocrisy and travesty of justice. The 13 House managers want to subject Monica Lewinsky and the American public to live testimony on the floor of the Senate. This woman has been forced to offer the same testimony, and the same facts 23 times. Enough is Enough.

The house managers are showing their true Religious Right colors. In this last ditch attempt to save face, they have once again demonstrated by their statements and actions that they are out of touch with the American people - especially American women.

As leaders in the national women's rights movement, we have known for some time just how out of touch these Republican House managers are-- and now, at last, so will the nation. Their blatant disregard for public opinion in this matter is no surprise. Time and time again, Henry Hyde and the other managers have ignored the public's overwhelmingly pro-women's rights and pro-choice views, and now they are ignoring the public once again. It is interesting to note that even during this impeachment trial several House managers, including Henry Hyde, have spoken of their opposition to abortion. The out-of-touch behavior of the 13 House managers in this impeachment trial has done more to reveal the dominance of the Religious Right in the Republican Party than the thousands of anti-choice and anti-women's rights votes cast by Congressmen such as Henry Hyde, and his band of twelve.

Feminist leaders spoke early and often in opposition to the impeachment of the President. And today we have a message for the managers -- it seems they need reminding. The American people, especially women, are not with you. We do not want this trial to continue. It is time to GIVE IT UP.

Note: Feminist Majority President, Eleanor Smeal joined other national women's rights leaders and women members of the US Congress today to oppose live witness testimony in the Senate Impeachment trial of President Clinton. Smeal was joined by Patricia Ireland, President of the National Organization for Women; Dr. Yvonne Scruggs Leftwich, Executive Director, Black Leadership Forum; Dorothy Height, President Emeritus, National Council of Negro Women; Dr. Ramona H. Edelin, President, National Urban Coalition and interim Executive Director of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation; Lina Frescas Dobbs, Executive Director, Wider Opportunities for Women; Dr. Martha Burk, Center for the Advancement of Public Policy

Media Resources: Press Release, Feminist Majority Foundation, February 4, 1999

© Feminist Majority Foundation, publisher of Ms. magazine

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