Berkley urges citizens to telephone congressmen on impeachment vote

Jace Radke

Friday, Dec. 18, 1998 | 11:28 a.m.

U.S. Rep.-elect Shelly Berkley probably won't be part of a historic vote on the impeachment of President Clinton this month. But the newly elected Democrat, who takes her congressional seat Jan. 6, got an earful about the process at a Town Hall meeting on Thursday night at UNLV's Moyer Student Union.

The majority of the comments and questions that Berkley fielded revolved around Clinton, and the impending impeachment vote.

Many of those present said they felt the majority of Americans were not for impeaching the president.

"This is a democracy, but the people are not being heard on this issue," Estella Morales said. "How do we tell Latin American countries that they should become democratic when we are not even following our own rules?"

Others asked Berkley what those against impeachment can do to get their voices heard in Washington.

"It's pretty apparent that this is breaking on party lines, and the numbers are on the Republican's side so the chances of impeachment are pretty good," Berkley said. "Making calls to your representatives so that they know how you feel is important.

"Do I think that the phone call will be a magic bullet that changes people's minds? Probably not, but you should still make the call."

Berkley, who is against impeachment, said that the 40 freshmen members of the 106th Congress are hoping to put party lines aside and work together.

"The first thing that we did as the freshmen members of Congress was to reach out to each other, so that at least the 40 of us work together and plant the seeds for a new beginning," Berkley said. "We can see how frustrated the American people are with the ugly partisanship in politics.

"When only 26 percent of the people show up to vote it's obvious that millions of Americans feel disenfranchised."

Others asked questions and gave advice on a variety of issues including Social Security, the Internal Revenue Service, education and the building of schools in Nevada.

Some congratulated the congresswoman -elect while others wanted to know about the really important issues, like what Berkley's new Washington office was like.

"It's pretty lousy, but some of the freshman got a lot worse," Berkley said. "I drew 25th, but I felt a little better when I saw the offices on the fifth floor of the Cannon Building (in Washington). I swear to God those offices are where they hid Anne Frank's family."

Berkley said she hoped to make the town meetings a staple of her term.