When nearly every Democrat in Congress opted to abrogate the duty to impeach President Clinton -- at the least for lying under oath, many Americans were left wondering who would stand up for right over wrong in our government.

The answer came this week as U.S. District Judge Susan Webber Wright found the president in contempt of court for giving intentionally false testimony about his relationship with Monica Lewinsky. Judge Wright imposed a civil penalty that could cost Clinton tens of thousands of dollars in the Paula Jones lawsuit.

As far as anyone knows, Clinton is the first president ever to be found in civil contempt while in office. Judge Wright also said she would refer the matter to the Arkansas Supreme Court's Committee on Professional Conduct for consideration of disciplinary action, which might include the loss of Clinton's law license in that state.

Judge Wright's contempt finding is the first reasonable outcome of the long independent-counsel investigation and impeachment process. And so is the referral for possible disciplinary action.

At last, many Americans can rightly sense that there are those in positions of public trust who have the courage to do what is right.