CONGRESS WEIGHS STARR'S REPORT

President Clinton should resign if Congress has evidence to impeach him, U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson said Friday.

"Like most folks, I've only had an opportunity to glance through the Independent Counsel's report, but what I've seen so far is truly disgusting and outrageous," Emerson said.

The Cape Girardeau Republican voiced her opinion after Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr released his lengthy report to Congress.

Starr told Congress there are 11 grounds for impeaching President Clinton, including perjury and obstruction of justice in regards to his concealing his affair with Monica Lewinsky.

The report, made public by a House vote, accused Clinton of obstruction of justice, witness tampering, abuse of his presidential powers and perjury -- both in his grand jury appearance last month and in his sworn deposition last January in the Paula Jones lawsuit.

Sen. John Ashcroft of Missouri repeated his call for Clinton to do "the decent and honorable thing" and resign. Ashcroft may run for president in 2000.

"He has admitted that he lied to the American people for months on end. He has admitted that he engaged in a scandalous affair with a young woman, his employee, in the White House.

"His conduct would not be tolerated from a member of the armed forces. It would not be tolerated in any responsible private organization. It certainly cannot be tolerated in the highest office in the land," Ashcroft said.

Emerson said the House Judiciary Committee must look at all the evidence -- not just the report that has been made public, -- and make a final determination as to whether there are grounds for a formal impeachment inquiry.

The first-term congresswoman said regardless of what happens on that front, the president has lost the moral authority to lead the nation.

"Clearly, no one knows the facts of this matter better than the president," she said.

"If he knows the Congress now has in its possession evidence that will lead to impeachment, then he should save the nation great pain, do the right thing and step aside," said Emerson.

The report was made public Friday by a House vote. The report was available on the Internet.

Internet traffic was heavy Friday afternoon as people tried to access the report online.

Will Spencer, page master for LDD Inc., a Cape Girardeau Internet service provider, said Friday afternoon traffic usually doesn't get heavy until after 5 p.m. This Friday, Internet traffic was heavy by early afternoon.

"I've been monitoring the Internet today, waiting for them to release the report," Spencer said. "When you are trying to hit those government sites and also CNN you can just tell it's congested."

Dr. Peter Bergerson, chairman of the political science department at Southeast Missouri State University, said the next 72 hours will be critical for the Clinton presidency.

"This is the start of a third act in a national tragedy," he said. "The outcome is unknown."

Bergerson said the American public for the most part didn't rush to judgment during Starr's investigation.

While Starr's report can be accessed on the Internet, Bergerson said only a small percentage of Americans log onto the computer information highway.

Some Americans won't bother to read the report, Bergerson said. "I think there will be a very significant number who will not read it."

But many of those who regularly surf the Internet will read the report online, he said. "They are going to be the more educated. They are going to be in a position to formulate public opinion."

Bergerson said Starr's report amounts to a political indictment.

Dr. Mitchel Gerber, a political science professor at Southeast, said the Internet could play a role in shaping public opinion.

Gerber said Starr's report could hurt Clinton's approval rating with the public. But he said public opinion shouldn't impact any possible impeachment process in the House.