--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Clinton's egregious act of…" description: "\"Clinton's egregious act of self-indulgence was outdone by an impeachment based not on constitutionally required high crimes and misdemeanors but on a v..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89f/robert-dallek-3456_act_clinton-s-egregious-act-of-self-indulgen_2307751.jpg" --- # Clinton's egregious act of self-indulgence was outdone by… ![“Clinton's egregious act of self-indulgence was outdone by an impeachment based not on constitutionally required high crimes and misdemeanors but on a vindictive determination to bring down a president who had offended self-righteous moralists eager to put a different political agenda in place.” quote by Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89f/robert-dallek-3456_act_clinton-s-egregious-act-of-self-indulgen_2307751.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89f/robert-dallek-3456_act_clinton-s-egregious-act-of-self-indulgen_2307751.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89f/robert-dallek-3456_act_clinton-s-egregious-act-of-self-indulgen_2307751.jpg) > “Clinton's egregious act of self-indulgence was outdone by an impeachment based not on constitutionally required high crimes and misdemeanors but on a vindictive determination to bring down a president who had offended self-righteous moralists eager to put a different political agenda in place.” [Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Impeachment can be driven by political motives rather than strict constitutional criteria. **In simple terms:** Politics can shape impeachment beyond legal standards. Key Takeaway Beware of partisan misuse of impeachment. Themes politics law ethics power accountability Mood critical concerned Type political historical When to use this quote - Congressional hearings - public opinion - media coverage - historical analysis Key Concepts constitutional law political strategy media influence Questions to Reflect On - What safeguards protect impeachment integrity? - How do partisan agendas distort legal processes? A Different Perspective Risk of eroding constitutional norms. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Crimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crimes/) [Crimes and misdemeanors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crimes-and-misdemeanors/) [Determination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/determination/) [Impeachment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impeachment/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Political agenda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-agenda/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [Self righteous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-righteous/) ## Related quotes > [Events unfold so unpredictably, so unfairly, human happiness does not seem to be included in the design of creation. 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Very overlooked movie, I think, and really his best. And currently…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-zucker/woody-allen-has-done-some-excellent-serious-movies-too-like-crimes/) [David Zucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-zucker/) > [Evidence has proven that Secretary Mayorkas' sustained and willful betrayal of the public trust makes him an accessory to the poisoning of millions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-e-james/evidence-has-proven-that-secretary-mayorkas-sustained-and-willful/) [John E. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-e-james/) > [Joe Biden abused the power of the Office of the Vice President, enabling bribery and other high crimes and misdemeanors, by allowing his son…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjorie-taylor-greene/joe-biden-abused-the-power-of-the-office-of-the-vice-president/) [Marjorie Taylor Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjorie-taylor-greene/) > [The President of the United States would be liable to be impeached, tried, and upon conviction of treason, bribery, or other high crimes and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/the-president-of-the-united-states-would-be-liable-to-be-impeached/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [It is a coup because while the Brazilian Constitution allows for impeachment, it's necessary for the person to have committed what we call high…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/it-is-a-coup-because-while-the-brazilian-constitution-allows-for/) [Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/) > [“The two impeachment articles charged President Clinton with perjury and obstruction of justice.16 The charges satisfied the “high crimes and misdemeanors” threshold, for it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mccarthy/the-two-impeachment-articles-charged-president-clinton-with-perjury/) [Andrew McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mccarthy/) > [“The delegates to the Constitutional Convention were adamant that impeachment not reach to errors of judgment, or what Edmund Randolph described as “a willful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mccarthy/the-delegates-to-the-constitutional-convention-were-adamant-that/) [Andrew McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mccarthy/) > [If a politician takes a bribe to do what he thinks would have been best for the public anyway, he still goes to jail.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-t-conway-iii/if-a-politician-takes-a-bribe-to-do-what-he-thinks-would-have-been/) [George T. Conway III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-t-conway-iii/) > [All societies make necessary moral distinctions between high crimes and misdemeanors, mortal and lesser sins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/all-societies-make-necessary-moral-distinctions-between-high-crimes/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > [Funny that all of Nixon's crimes - anonymous campaign cash, wiretapping, undeclared wars - are all legal now. Discuss.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/funny-that-all-of-nixon-s-crimes-anonymous-campaign-cash-wiretapping/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [“Willful and repeated violation of the Constitution is the textbook example of high crimes and misdemeanors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mccarthy/willful-and-repeated-violation-of-the-constitution-is-the-textbook/) [Andrew McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mccarthy/) > [“To those who will decide if he should be tried for 'high crimes and misdemeanors' -the House of Representatives- And to those who would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-bernstein/to-those-who-will-decide-if-he-should-be-tried-for-high-crimes-and/) [Carl Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-bernstein/) ## More by Robert Dallek > [Harry Truman wrote scathing letters, but he almost never sent them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/harry-truman-wrote-scathing-letters-but-he-almost-never-sent-them/) [Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/) > [Don't be intimidated by people who seem to be experts. 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