What happened on December 19th?

President Bill Clinton was impeached

Author

Matthew Jones
December 19, 2024

1998 Bill Clinton Faces Impeachment

On December 19th, 1998, the US House of Representatives approved articles of impeachment against President Bill Clinton, making him the second president in American history to face such charges. The articles, based on allegations of perjury and obstruction of justice, stemmed from his testimony regarding a scandal involving Monica Lewinsky. The impeachment sparked intense political division and a media frenzy, ultimately leading to a Senate trial after which Clinton was acquitted and remained in office.

The photo shows representative Richard Gephardt delivering remarks in the Rose Garden following the House of Representatives Vote on Impeachment of President Bill Clinton. President Clinton, First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, Vice President Albert Gore, John Podesta, and Democratic leaders are present too.

🗞️Today’s Headlines

Everything important that’s ever happened on December 19:

2012 ─ Park Geun-Hye became the first woman elected president of South Korea.

1997 ─ The film Titanic, directed by James Cameron, premiered and became a cultural phenomenon and box-office success.

1974 ─ Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller was sworn in as the 41st vice president of the United States, following the resignation of Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford’s elevation to the presidency.

1966 ─ The United Nations General Assembly endorsed the Outer Space Treaty, laying the groundwork for peaceful exploration beyond Earth.

1946 ─ The Viet Minh, led by Vietnamese nationalist Ho Chi Minh, began the First Indochina War against France.

1843 ─ Charles Dickens published A Christmas Carol, introducing one of literature’s most beloved holiday stories.

🎂 Today’s Birthdays

On December 19, we’re singing to:

Leonid Brezhnev (1906) ─ Soviet leader and president remembered for his role in the Cold War.

Edith Piaf (1915) ─ French singer famed for iconic ballads such as “La Vie en Rose."

Cicely Tyson (1924) ─ Award-winning actress celebrated for her portrayals of strong, dignified women in film and television.

Jake Gyllenhaal (1980) ─ American Actor known for performances in Brokeback Mountain, Nightcrawler, and Donnie Darko. 

 🪦Who Died Today?

On December 19, we’re saying goodbye to:

Emily Brontë (1848) ─ British author renowned for her masterpiece Wuthering Heights.

J. M. W. Turner (1851) ─ English painter celebrated for his dramatic landscapes and marine scenes.

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