-Caveat Lector-
>From Wash (DC) Post (via Drudge):
Livingston Won't Serve as Speaker
Saturday, December 19, 1998; 9:53 a.m. EST
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Rep. Bob Livingston said today he would not serve as the
next House speaker and will leave Congress next year. He apologized for
having engaged in extramarital affairs.
``I must set the example that I hope President Clinton will follow. ... I
will not stand for speaker of the House on January 6 but rather will remain
as backbencher in this House I love so much,'' Livingston said as the House
fell silent. He said would quit Congress after six months.
``I was prepared to lead our narrow majority as speaker and I believe I had
.. to do a fine job, but I cannot do that job.''
Livingston began his speech by calling on Clinton to resign after being
impeached, but then said he could not do so unless he, too, resigned.
Livingston, 55, was nominated without opposition to succeed Newt Gingrich
as speaker on Nov. 18. Gingrich had stunned the House with his resignation
on Nov. 7.
The first indications that Livingston's quest to lead the House may face
new hurdles arose as the House impeachment debate unfolded.
The Thursday night revelation by Livingston, R-La., that he had ``on
occasion strayed from my marriage'' was only hinted at on the House floor
during the day-long debate.
``We are now at the height of a cycle of the politics of negative attacks,
character assassination, personal smears of good people,'' said House
Minority Leader Dick Gephardt, D-Mo.
But as rumors hurtled around the Capitol about details of the affairs,
Livingston met with several conservatives who were rethinking their support
of the 55-year-old Louisianan,
``We ought to ask questions ... rather than circle the wagons for one of
our tribe,'' Rep. Mark Sanford, R-S.C., said in an interview. He said he
would spend Christmas ``struggling'' over whether to support Livingston.
Rep. Spencer Bachus, R-Ala., also said Republicans should re-examine
Livingston's fitness to be speaker.
``You can't criticize the president's behavior as being unacceptable and
then not consider this as material, just ignore this and brush it aside,''
he said
Several other conservatives, speaking on condition of anonymity, said once
the House impeachment debate is over, they will think about whether
Livingston should take over when the 106th Congress is sworn in on Jan. 6.
Livingston's problem is intensified by the narrow GOP margin in the next
House: just 223-211, plus one independent who usually votes with Democrats.
If just six Republicans refuse to support him for speaker, he would lack
the 218 votes needed to be elected -- assuming the Democrats and
independent vote against him.
Outside the chamber, many Republicans -- and some Democrats -- said
Livingston's infidelities were a personal matter and he remained qualified
to become speaker. Livingston said Thursday night his wife of 33 years,
Bonnie, and his four grown children have forgiven him.
``His stature, because of the way he handled himself, was enhanced,'' said
Rep. John Sununu, R-N.H.
``I think they're none of our business,'' Rep. David Obey, D-Wis., a
Livingston friend, said of the infidelities. ``Anybody who knows Bob
Livingston and Bonnie knows they are two first-rate human beings.''
Other Democrats, however, said the episode showed Republican inconsistency
in judging Clinton and Livingston.
``It shows their partisan rancor, where they're quick to forgive and forget
Mr. Livingston's infidelities yet seem hellbent for going after the
president,'' said Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-R.I.
Livingston allies said they detected no deterioration of support.
But some Republicans worried the episode could hurt Livingston if he does
become speaker.
Bachus said Republicans must learn when and to what extent Livingston
engaged in extramarital affairs. He said he also wants to know why
Livingston did not disclose this when he began running for speaker last
month, knowing that the House soon would be considering impeachment.
Livingston revealed the affairs after Hustler magazine asked him for
comment about claims by at least four women that they had had liaisons with
him, said Larry Flynt, the periodical's publisher. The women called the
magazine after it offered a reward to anyone who could prove an affair with
a members of Congress, he said.
A bomb squad rushed to Livingston's district office in Metairie, La., on
Friday to inspect a suspicious package that turned out to contain a rock
and a note referring to his adultery.
� Copyright 1998 The Associated Press
~~~~~~~~~~~~
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