‘Henry Hyde

Re “Never Condoned Lying Under Oath, Hyde Says,” Dec. 9: So Rep. Henry Hyde thinks “trying to save Central America from a Castro takeover required some clandestine operations, and they required sometimes withholding information.” So I guess when Ronald (I don’t remember) Reagan, George (I was out of the loop) Bush, William (friend of Noriega) Casey and Oliver (proud of what I did) North looked the other way while tons of cocaine poured into the United States throughout the 1980s in the greatest scandal of the post-World War II era, that was just business as usual for the distinguished congressman from Illinois. How pathetic.

STEVE BARR

Los Angeles

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Truth and justice are simple according to Hyde. If you break the law (which Reagan and North did), then you lie about it (which they both did), but you are passionate about it and a Republican, then it is acceptable. But if you cheat on your wife (which doesn’t break the law), then you lie about it and you are a Democrat, that constitutes an impeachable offense.

BERNARD RAPKIN

Los Angeles

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Since Hyde now admits that he lied when he said that some lying is OK, shouldn’t he now be impeached for lying? Or was his lie about lying one of those lies that’s OK?

RICHARD S. MARKEN

Los Angeles

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For shame. Is this--consensual sex, entrapment and collusion--the stuff that enables the impeachment of the president of the United States? The American public has for a long time seen it for what it is. Nothing. Somehow, the myopic Republican majority on the House Judiciary Committee can’t/won’t/don’t see it the way their constituents do.

Woe be to future Republican presidents and our system of government if this state of frivolous political mischief be driven any further by Clinton-haters.

MANUEL E. NUNES

Garden Grove

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President Clinton got himself into deep trouble and then simply handed it over to his hired guns, the lawyers who were no doubt challenged to “take care of it.” In view of this president’s history and his current damaged reputation and propensity to live dangerously, what is his incentive to not engage in more illegal activities?

Are we in mortal danger if this rash man is permitted to stay in office and continue to have his finger on the nuclear button?

BOB WHITNEY

Monterey Park

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“Intentionally misleading” is nothing but a euphemism for lying.

ROBERT TSOU

Rolling Hills Estates

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This nation is headed toward a constitutional crisis; not even the testimony of our Founding Fathers could persuade the Republicans to stop this impeachment. May God save our nation and democracy from the Republicans’ fascist interpretation of impeachment.

JOSEPH MARTINEZ

Carson

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Democrats consistently call for bipartisanship in dealing with the question of what to do about President Clinton’s wrongdoings. It is within their power to end the partisanship immediately by following the example of the minority party during President Nixon’s impeachment hearings.

MARGARET MORELL

Buena Park