Acquittal on High Crimes

Updated July 10, 2020 | Infoplease Staff

1999 News of the Nation

A Senate trial in the first two months of 1999 followed President Clinton's impeachment in Dec. 1998. On Feb. 12, the Senate acquitted the President on both counts of impeachment after failing to achieve a simple majority, much less the two-thirds majority needed for conviction. On the charge of grand jury perjury, the vote was 55–45 with 10 Republicans voting for acquittal along with all 45 Democrats. The vote on obstruction of justice was 50–50, with 5 Republicans crossing party lines to vote for acquittal.