Dems warn next Congress may be bitterly partisan

While Republicans are attempting to downplay the possibility, House Democrats today warned that the highly charged partisan impeachment atmosphere likely will spill over into the 106th Congress and may hinder legislative efforts on a number of fronts.

"This is the most partisan I have seen things," Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., said today. "It's a bad omen for the year."

Another veteran Democrat agreed. "You're so close to starting the new Congress that the spillover effect is going to be very great," predicted retiring Rep. Lee Hamilton, D-Ind.

But Republicans made it clear they hope the Christmas break will soothe strong feelings. "The good thing is we're going to go home for the holidays, spend time with our families and reflect," said Rep. Sherwood Boehlert, R-N.Y., adding that people should go home and vow to make the House more livable. "You've got people on our side who don't know any Democrats," he contended. "A good neighbor policy is going to be launched for 1999."

However, Democrats were skeptical. Both parties have "people who are willing to believe the worst about the other side," said House Appropriations ranking member David Obey, D-Wis. Asked what can be done, Obey said, "People have to use the 10 Commandments for a guide for living with each other, rather than a road map for skewering your opponents."

But incoming Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Patrick Kennedy of Rhode Island warned the acrimony may seep beyond Capitol Hill, saying Republican moderates who voted for impeachment will be targeted for defeat in 2000. "There will be consequences to this vote. Don't have any illusions about it," declared Kennedy in an interview broadcast on CNN.

The Providence Journal Friday quoted sources as saying labor leaders, in consultation with the DCCC, already had put Rep. Jack Quinn, R-N.Y., on its target list. Quinn, who represents a district with a heavy advantage in Democratic registration, has been targeted in the past-but received relatively little attention from national Democrats in 1998.

If the impeachment vote had come in the middle of a congressional session, the atmosphere could be poisoned, one Republican said. "Right now, we just have to get through this," the Republican said, adding that aside from the atmosphere, the narrow GOP majority in the House will make it necessary for people to "come to the center more," in the next Congress.

For his part, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Bill Archer, R-Texas, said he plans to begin the committee's legislative efforts early and said because the impeachment issue will be gone from the House, it should have no impact on that agenda.

"We will immediately get into the business of the country and there will be no distraction," Archer said. "By the time we complete our action, the Senate hopefully will have cleared its slate."