1974 Nixon Impeachment Hearings; 1974-07-29; Reel 3 of 6

it's b but most part that we weaken that we weakened that office that we also hear i'm a direct my attention the few moments that we have to another area that concerns me because we've touched upon it so lightly in fact i heard somebody say i'm curious and it'll just something about of the bugaboo and i have referenced the national security national security we talking about or talking about or that thing that lives in the security of two hundred and twenty million americans i happened everyone know since i've been in the congress united states who has supported a strong

national defense are strong national defense we can't be second we've got to be strong and we're talking about national defense of the bubbly few i think not president united states is concerned about leaks right after he took office now let's take a look or are these leaks coming from recovering from somebody the british crime writer sometimes sensitive agency of the government we know that there were coming from no other place international the security council who serves on the national security council members

president of the united states as secretary of defense secretary of state and the director of the central intelligence agency along with the secretary us treasury and the attorney general by designation of the president and i don't talk about rules for handball game and they discuss the night of how was the part of the fence of this country you're an offense might affect our challenge the facts as what they do and these leaks are concerned the president of the united states are coming directly out of that national security council however that many of our colleagues here today i don't want to duplicate what they said but let me point out that about every

time the national security council of make a decision a couple of days later and i hate to mention newspapers but i am less than they are trying to have published it on the evening star i wouldn't there's concern you a concern a concern me that concern but rather than negative is one on april six they are times prints a front page article indicating us consideration of unilateral withdrawal doom sixty nine shortly after decision had been briefed to begin initial withdrawal of troops the new york times an evening star reported this decision and again it made public

following the meeting following a meeting with the south vietnamese president too leaks damaging dr kissinger diplomatic effort and the war without the needs government to hear publicly publicly our current willingness to consider unilateral about unilateral withdrawal without first discussing the matter with president too they are great about it and even late senator kerry would regardless of negotiations haven't discussed also internal use of our government of the strategic force posture study was made that you throw out program should be adopted rallied to our countries get this big turn conventional and no player cable that i study and codify possible strategic options on campus on a fancy capabilities the heavier reliance on

anti ballistic missile system mr stephen orr discuss notwithstanding the obvious favor secrecy of the study the may first nineteen sixty nine edition of the new york times reporter duff i repeat the captain's understudy and even gave the cost estimates and on the state's intelligence four hundred an engaged and analysis of the soviet union's testing of vessels and he issued a report in june nineteen sixty nine setting for their estimate of the soviet union's wider strategic sprang and possible first like people though they consumed ten minutes here thank you gentleman from ohio i

think that the utility other gentleman more iowa has put its finger on one of the very fundamental issues which brought about this risky which is whether andy under the guys the phraseology national security the president has a blank check to violate the law because that's what it's all about wine attorney general ruckelshaus declined to fire a special prosecutor cox actor elliot richardson and resign because he declined the following you remember what general hey the president's they told him he said your commander in chief has given you an order some of the records to remind him that he was a lock and that the commander in chief could not get will order that violated the law but let's take a

look at that law point five of this article talks about that to disregard of the rule of law by the president of the united states and among other things he disregarded it when he fired the special watergate prosecutor archibald cox ordered him to be fired oh black april thirty nineteen seventy three when the presidents up to the resignation of all in ehrlichman findings and b if that time pledged to the american people that he would do everything in its power to ensure that those guilty of misconduct within the white house are his campaign organization were brought to us and you nothing's gonna point elliot richardson attorney general and he announced that elliot richardson would appoint a special prosecutor and in through cars that came to happen mr richardson submitted to the committee a statement of duties and responsibilities and the special prosecutor in the statement provided that he would have jurisdiction over fences a rising out of the watergate break in

allegations involving the president members of the white house there for presidential appointees and they also provided that the special prosecutor would have full authority for determining whether or not the contests the assertion of executive privilege or any other testimony of privilege and that he would not be removed except for extraordinary impropriety not a lot already been a long established by the supreme court and the casework it resists shots the nineteen fifty three that as long as the attorney general's regulations remain operative they have the force of law and the night he him or any other member of the executive branch the right to violate those regulations and such were the regulations under which the special prosecutor was operating and that principle was up well again as recently as last week on the supreme court reaffirmed in the case of united states versus nixon now y'all remember the shock that we

all experienced last october wedding quick succession to attorney generals on the special prosecutor were fired on order of the president because they had the temerity to carry out an order ugly court of the united states government which are in an appeal and affirmed by the president firm by the carton ordered the president to turn over the tape which he felt when he was forced to do by public opinion though is that act which brought about the creation of a special procedure i've always believed that any man elected to the highest office in the land would rise to the occasion like every american i want to believe the best of my president and i tried to do so as i study the evidence before us in this proceeding and having done so i'm a fairly say to my friends on both sides of the aisle in the country

you let us now the chairman of the gentlewoman from california mr maury chairman members of the committee one thing certainly must be cleared by about everyone in america and that is certainly the president of the united states is not fall all par four under any circumstances he can't be examined one way or the other for his acts and you wouldn't necessarily be removed from office i don't believe that any man in the history of this world has ever been examined as thoroughly as this president richard nixon i don't know that anyone who has ever had twenty five millions of dollars of federal money spent on their eighth investigations over

a period of two years trying to many many more millions of dollars by other private a good thing everything that mr nixon could possibly have done wrong surely been uncovered by this time and yet you look at the evidence that brought to have here today and almost things about a forty five million dollars though very little if the irs was used wrongly no one would object louder are stronger than i i spent sixteen years writing a legal aid lawyers rather serve and no i don't have any more respect for the underdog or the law but i do and there's nothing to bring with them fear into the heart of everything that he brought into their

hearts by an irs audit that will be clear to everyone but the cold hard facts are the irs was not misuse by the president it's true that four days before he talked to the president has to be at least that their list of enemies through the irs after something to be done about it but the evidence that was brought to us by our staff was that the president's connection witness to being very very slight during those particular david buik the only only in the months of nineteen seventy three through the fiction at a meeting on the fifteenth of september but there isn't one shred of evidence that anything was done to resolve that meeting on the fifteenth of september and no no evidence that anyone thought that the comments seriously

and certainly on mr deans request irs consideration of certain people there was nothing done that their names were put away and were never presented to another soul suggested perhaps the iraqis used to help well certain people over there only a few of the macumber the people in the white house and said that they were being harassed by the irs congressman by some agency of the federal government these were checked into by simple request what's happening this is the testimony that we have no special consideration given there was no evidence of any pressure put on these people and what kind of a how or impeachment of that you have the question of a

plumber who covers the name of art been given for this special group i don't approve of many of their leisure activities certainly they went beyond any our that the president expected them to how we have the testimony and sworn testimony of it will roll said with respect to the purpose of the special investigations unit is supposed to warn testimony that are about july fifteen nineteen seventy one he was given all instructions by mr john ehrlichman get a special national security project the warden at a government effort to determine the cause of sources and ramifications of unauthorized disclosure of classified documents loaded on as the pentagon papers we have other national security matters we have the seventeen wiretaps that were approved by j edgar hoover and the president didn't mention made of two or three other

wiretaps that were not authorized by the president had no feelings whatsoever of any authorization by the president of the seventeen wiretaps were actually made with the president's request or at least with his signature would be a very definitely brought about by a very great concern with henry kissinger with all thought negotiations that were going to take place that might be given a foreign country a tear down and has expired like really oh yeah well thank you again i'm really proud and honored to associate myself

with the remarks of my dear friend a very great lawyer gentleman from attitudes of the forgotten you richard sherman argued they today have distilled the issues of this article you where we all now can clearly see that they constitute a clear threat and attack against our constitution which is the essence of the soul of our republic we cannot and must not fail a responsibility which is ours and so again with a heavy heart and great sadness we must vote for this article of impeachment are you back the balance of my time jerry zimmer's than there is a famine we say here the sharp differences and the interpretation of the facts and the law in this matter samurai the myth that we have the sharp differences because the case and the evidence

is not clear and convincing against the president is that the allegations i know of the resolution to impeach him do you do if you set up the specific allegations in the article we have counted that the president should be held accountable for the acts of a subordinate even though he had no knowledge did not authorize that a great deal has been fed and in fact ruled that if that member did they have that bad member did that and the fed members and comfort it gave and did

that but the gemini from aq that approach failed and failed in a very vital respect when it failed to draw the line to the president of the ninth day on a quest that wiretap and that we've heard so much about without going into detail because they've been thoroughly discuss what really really have here we have heard the urgent plea by mr henry kissinger to stop the leak and the national security council the family's pleas or may not like just an ordinary individual they might not have had the knowledge and information necessary to appreciate this the way through but no less demand and

mr henry kissinger will in my opinion would be the highest a party in the land at whether art as to whether or not leak would affect the security of the united states and what we have here in response to that plea the president or so once of constitutional duty as a constitutional duty to protect united states ordered the wiretap and thoughtfully and i said in my previous remarks today ivor won the chairman one of the bases of every consider making a request it that nixon be due to take effect in the united states by ordering the wiretap either one would vote to impeach him for that refusal of his constitutional duty and responsibility

closing of salmon that you say that i think we ought to give some serious consideration to exactly what we are doing here but that richard nixon was elected by forty seven million people of these you that they believe the president of the united states what i've heard and on what i've heard today i cannot and will not bring myself to remove the vote to remove that joyce of forty seven million people and impeach richard nixon president of the unite chairman have a climate deal about that my time with a

lover joe as thirty seconds renee for a meal is complete my comments concern a national security threat was compounded by the fact that mr oberg was a former staff member of the national security council itself the prospects of the might evolve additional information the realization that the soviet government are easy to copy the pentagon papers on june the seventeenth might be receptive additional classified information he also at a broader arab access to the clearance to see classified information including sign out better known as the nation's single integrated operations plan now what does this incumbents nothing either that all allies stress for all of this nation's military contingency plans in case of war including integrated conventional and nuclear option were concerned the president janet yellen has expired

recognize a gentleman from massachusetts father john i'm having you know my time mr chairman one for asian soccer referee of article two which generated much debate is that acting personally or through his subordinates and agents there is no need to substantiate this phrase by agreeing on disagreeing with the madison superintendents a theory because the charges which underlie this phrase or permeated with presidential command presidential direction the president and charged the parkway which gives the greatest floated this chain of command and the president knowing what is of london's bid is not a testimony of missed the battlefield we don't have to rely on him we have an exchange between as the form of arkansas law and mr john

mitchell mr bock did you ever checked to determine whether or not the information related to you through mr haldeman was a correct reflection of the president's instructions mr mitchell there may have been occasions congressman but i would have to say that in most all instances that i can recall missed all the mums representations to me all the president's position where truthfully an la stated mr foreman did you ever checked with the president to determine whether information you had passed the lord here improvements to hold him and had been received by him mr mitchell no i don't believe i did but i think there again that record of actions coming from such a line of communication with indicate that they were fully and faithfully convey it's a genocidal is

overwhelming that i don't think it's an exaggeration to say that history will judge this as probable to the mile route that in centuries ago at running mate they were out lethal mr alonso says because they revolted against tyranny and i want to pay tribute tonight two men who made this possible i am honored and humbled because these two men happened to be my constituents when as a democrat it was a republican i speak about actual roxanne elliot richardson when they follow their conscience three million citizens why their congressmen in this inquiry began these two good men never realized that their decision not to submit not to go along would force every member of congress and every american citizen to make the same our own decision they were the first to see that repeated abuses of the constitutional rights of citizens on which this committee has to act tonight mr cox

the former solicitor general of the united states distinguished professor at arpa e would not back down he would not become a part of the cover up and elliot richardson the former attorney general massachusetts secretary of a key value in defense he gave up his entire career rather a man vanishes saul and commit himself to be a part of the cover up i pictured it to these two men without their carriage the victory for justice which we witness it and i would never have happened and as the jamb and i hope that the average will continue to be contagious your back about summertime recognizing the artists but the german lawyers all today on the debate of this article to work says the president of the united states' contrary to his trustees president and subversive constitutional government repeatedly engaged in kind of violating the

constitutional rights of citizens and karen to doing proper administration of justice in the conduct of lawful inquiries or contraband in the laws governing agencies of the executive branch probably almost everything has been slow from the comments of them and i would say the majority of his committee eliot will support this article and believes what it says and there are some who don't feel that the evidence is and producing as long resisted any of this committee has been able to bikes out a clear and convincing case that this is so the president of the united states himself with others to jeer and i want to do you look to manage my time to the gentleman from india to the us i thank the gentleman for yielding because something the gentleman from california mr morin said struck a very

responsive chord with me i believe i have spent as much time in courtrooms defending the underdog is any man or woman on this committee and i have done it in forcing their civil rights to work out and i have done it when every man and then the establishment was against my client and when every public garden was prying allowed for is blood so that situation is nothing new to me at all i never expected to find myself in a similar situation where the president united states of concern and now that i had i simply want to say it is my belief in opinion and my sincere opinion and believe that the president of the united states as exactly the same rights and i will stand up for them exactly the same way as they have those humble citizens i used to represent i think

the one for you and one man about like to explain that while i voted against the article one which was two years ago that we took the article that i'm going to vote in favor of article two in my opinion there was no growth no clear convincing proof of any criminality or any conduct of the president which involved him as a co conspirator the president does have a constitutional ban an obligation to say to the faithful execution of the war and with the multiple acts of misconduct at the legality of criminology been connected in and around the white house five minute with top aides it seems to me that the president has failed us in this take care provision of the constitution what they're no

malice no hostility to the president it seemed to me that i have an obligation myself as a member of this committee might see the constitutional obligation people who support an article of impeachment canon ef twenty seconds they adjusted chairman mao thank you very much and i'm sorry that my remarks reefers they might have been foiled this way why khalid from a lot of them are right in with you about recognize the gentleman from new york is to wrangle thank you mr chairman i would like to thank you and the members of this committee goes through their decision may have restored some faith in the integrity to our system of government we've heard in the past many times the words loyal and most americans recognize who those words were directed that and exactly what those words really meant today mr chairman that phrase

had the restored to some of its original meaning meaning because we have established some more and some order as relates to the abuse of presidential power the vice president of the united states has reportedly said that this committee does not properly red reflex or represent the members of the house are representatives and perhaps it does not but what committee truly does nevertheless the committee system is a lot of the house of representatives and is a not a lot of our american way of life to attack the entire system really because we differ with the results the president of the united states not only disregard of the law but in fact the ago and feed the grand jury system in our nation's capital and watched the twenty seventh of nineteen seventy three president talking with burlington about the fate of mr mitchell mr halperin said i

think we have to recognize that should not going sixty eight indictment talking about mr mitchell this is what they're supposed to tell there's no way while better that you should be prosecuted on information from the united states attorney based on your conversation with the united states attorney but on an indictment by a grand jury of fifteen blacks and three whites after this kind of an investigation president responded right and the dog the white house were trying to protect it well mr chairman i'm satisfied and while the president is protected from an icon at this time from a grand jury in the nation's capital and while he has been denied his day in court as relates to the criminal courts and i'm satisfied that he would have had a fair hearing the house of representatives but we will have a fair trial in united states senate and for the american

people and its constitution it would've had to prove that the system can work and indeed it has been a victory oh lord and four it was chairman recognize the gentle lady from your vote banking chairman question's been raised tonight one of the rights of the president and i think we have to confront what his duties are the caisson of some of the constitution of the united states and the preamble of this constitution says we the people of the united states to secure the blessings of liberty and that is the person is precious heritage and what is this president done is this committee has examined we have seen that the president has in dayton accords the kind that in which the ends justify

the means analyst is blessing of liberty was being trampled to our disgrace but as the first of the houston plan which the president our president your president and my president approve this houston plan which i read in anger or twice or three times says that this set is tantamount to treason and because it's tantamount to treason the president has the right to bring to bear against any dissent or the force of the cia the force of the fbi illegally that prisoners are get to having his email open with have broken into west palm pack because he dissents and it's not at all clear from the evidence before this committee at the houston plan was not carried out a modest look at the leaks that everybody's talk about

how do they justify the ends we have seen does anybody idea that a wiretap of just a rabbi a private operative other hand the white house it's constitutional or illegal and that the president had put his imprimatur on that there's anybody argument that it's within the bounds of the constitution i can believe in and one that the town square case perhaps the president didn't authorize a burglary in the first place but he according to ehrlichman ratified it afterwards rangers climb into prison in size and why didn't he explodes the people were responsible to the kremlin parties now he covered it up and he said that ehrlichman who has since been convicted for that reagan or being involved in that he said that erlichman was one of the two finest public servants he had ever know and what about the internal revenue service the

five hundred and seventy five names of political opponents of his administration turned over the president clearly improve that and a conversation on september fifteenth and we have news of works he didn't expose these people even throw halderman out of his office eating protein out of his office at a later date he said do you need any more help with the irs and mr fowler the commissioner of internal revenue service submitted affidavits of this committee which he said it was the white house says the intention to try to create a person a police force that the alcohol tobacco and firearms part of the internal revenue service what we have seen here it's an attempt by the administration to be implemented this president do bring retribution against those who seek to oppose the administration and how many of us have night quarreled with presidents in the

past democrats or republicans over agricultural policy or environmental policy or foreign policy or whatever is that in any presidential president the license to burglarize our home to wiretap or won't open our mail i submit that if it does we have gone down the long road to tyranny at the blessings of liberty that we form this constitution two hundred years ago to preserve will vanish very quickly i would like to remind my colleagues that under the constitution of the united states we in the house of representatives to the power of impeachment having given the duty to preserve this constitution and preserve the blessings of liberty for that reason i feel that we are going to help improve the sort of speech the gentleman from virginia is about mr chairman i you might not have done merlin

continue a number of our colleagues have said that the evidence presented today failed to support the impeachable offenses i know that they do not want to give the erroneous impression that we've been called today aren't any of these recent collaborations in a present age of evidence what we've been involved in is debating amendments to these articles of impeachment the evidence reprise and patient took ten weeks oh our time after months of staff or so we shouldn't give the impression that what we've been presenting is evidence but what we have seen is the results of all that labor and having all thirty eight members of this committee study that evidence for ten weeks in long sessions day after day hour after hour an overwhelming majority of this committee and subscribe to the idea that that evidence supports these articles

but you recognize the gentleman from you article one of impeachment focused on many instances that one immense abuse cover up the watergate break in and contrast article to as a collection of separate individual very serious abuses of the power of the presidency these are charges that the president used his power or knowingly promoted his part to be used to do something unconstitutional illegal immoral or to do something legal but for political or non legitimate purposes this is not a grab bag of presidential actions which a majority of the committee things as unwise or bad are contrary to our national interest these are what they must be to be unfeasible acts which would be clear violations of the standards of conduct for any president

while a few violations which are so grave intersection abuse of the presidential trust that the public well being requires that they be corrected there are other serious offenses of the president which did not in my opinion rise to the level of impeach ability on the basis of evidence before us i do not believe that the allegations of bribery for example in the itt case for the mill case i've been sustained but each one of the abuses contain an article two is adequate in itself to sustain impeachment in my opinion these instances of presidential abuse center around the violation a guarantee of civil liberties contained in the bill of rights namely the right to be free from government interference in his privacy his home his letters and his belongings and his conversations i would hope the president is watching this proceeding tonight i feel that i've grown to know imminently over the past eight months we're about to vote

this new article of impeachment do not wish in the slightest for a farm we recognize that there's tragedy and fall there is only goodwill on this committee and i believe that every member x tonight in accordance with his or her conscience in pursuit of a constitutional obligation i would hope that he would believe that this article of impeachment there's not attempt to apply new standards to this president we apply old standards which everyone knows up through the through the impeachment process and impeachment is the only remedy for the abuses which article to proposes to correct some of them are not criminal abuses and even if they were criminal the president when setting is beyond criminal process probably the principle reason the framers include the impeachment are in the constitution was because they saw that the only remedy against a president for the unlawful enlargement of executive power and the encroachment of on individual liberties was through this guy prof stern accountability

the only remedy by passing these articles of impeachment we set an example that is a fair example because we apply only the most fundamental and basic standards which any president should be aware and it is an example of the future presidents and to all of old civil authority in this country with the congress even to the exercise of its impeachment capability will stand against the abuse of power and the invasion of civil liberties which would undermine our constitution or the rights and the dignity of the individual we should not forget that the history of liberty in the world is very short the history of tyranny is very long and a principal source of oppression has always been the and restraint and restraint power of the state with unanimous consent to consider and adopt and walk practical perfecting amendments

that moment and each member has the aftermath of the gentleman from missouri i ask unanimous consent that certain technical amendments be adopted yes the chairman of my favorite actresses on page two faced to a maligned for upgrades to strike out a comma fallen were directing about on the play the fourth one the bottom on page two you insert a common mean even before which and as chairman on page three there were misuse business about this suit correct gentlemen as vivian and then their objection without objection the technical amendments are that with

your previous question the question now workers on the adoption of the ongoing substitute as a man all those in favor of the army charged with a dozen and that really signify by saying aye all those of all the ice abbott guys because the man in the roll call is your day than the clerical collar all those in favor of a substitute as amanda policing but i saved all those poems no <unk> mr brooks her mr kastenmeier mr edwards <unk> hyundai mr connor mr oliver our

mr wally mr flower mr mann this disarming part mr simon i i mr ranck oh five ms jordan oh mr thornton ms holton there's drones listeners pinsky are <unk> hutchinson for mr mccourt it was just mentally ill well mr sandman mr

railsback our nose to wait until mr dennis no mr fish park ms germain or mr hoving mr butler mr cohen <unk> will miss your friendly mr moreno mr mosley now mr lowe no mr aquino iii so the

judiciary committee cruz aligned with for several historic article of impeachment against the president twenty eight members of the ninety nine members voting no the question now there is on the adoption of the article two of the un resolution as amended by the iron gate substitute all those in favor please signify by syrian i owe or the eyes appear that its chairman john from new jersey demands a column roland follows northern arc will fall raul malo is in favor of adoption mr brooks my

life but life busy it is beautiful mr mann mr simon why this assignment i was all i just rang like this if you're not used to farm i this whole thing or just your own site or

this is this is this an oral history of our mr wiggins no mr dennis no <unk> mr mayne well mr voting prior mr butler <unk> mr lotto mr mark mr morris <unk> know mr lyden well that's true

in their report twenty eight members of the ninety nine members voting no the resolution is agreed to in pursuant to the procedural resolution article to as amended is adopted it will be reported about the committee will recess until ten thirty tomorrow morning so the house judiciary committee has approved a second article of impeachment georgian president nixon with opioid abuse of power are letting his oath to defend the constitution and to take care that the laws be faithfully execute the

outcome was not a surprise it as much as the committee already voted one article last week charging the president with an obstruction of justice and his handling of the watergate tapes supporters of the republic over again was twenty eight to ten am on this vote all twenty one democrats voted for the impeachment articles and seven of the seventeen republicans supported the motion first time since nineteen sixty eight at a congressional committee has taken such a drastic action aimed at removing the president a lot of analysts are sure is that articles of impeachment articles of impeachment will be included in a resolution that will be sent to the house floor lights action climax of a long

day in which the president's defenders last several attempts to we can or modify article two so now we're certain that at least two articles of these two articles will be included in the impeachment resolution when it is finally approved and overall of course this continues the momentum toward impeachment of president nixon at one additional republican vote was that a robber victorian a long autumn voted against the first article obstruction of justice but that vote i when it came to abuse of power as he said he would all along now this does not name as chairman or to notice said the committee will meet again and thirty tomorrow morning eastern time still to be resolved or possibly three other articles of impeachment that most people that will be introduced debated and then finally reach of all they include the charges that the president involving the president's authorization of the secret bombing of cambodia a solar charger avenue to the president's personal income tax liabilities and those

are those are the basic complaints that there the basic charges that will be introduced and abetted mall let's go now to carol and loads them on the health care law well i guess you can see that the second time around it was a lot easier and last saturday night they go to the first article of impeachment and it was a very solemn occasion it was a solemn tonight to that there seemed to be a stronger voice from most of the members who voted for impeachment there wasn't the same stillness in the room everybody in effect was rather anxious to get it over with cause the hour with late today the mood had shifted as you look back over the day which changed where is the members are other pilots of last week today was a very businesslike session and they really didn't belong in and get their business done and reach a decision on the article to vote for impeachment i might say as far as the members are concerned and the press is concerned it was a tug of war between human exhaustion and a sense of his dark purpose

with john maybe it would be appropriate for us at this time to review what is an article two and listen in as much as this article is certainly included in a in the resolution of impeachment that will be sent to the floor as we said earlier the first article charge the president with an obstruction of justice on a number of counts in its handling of the watergate case this one is directed almost exclusively at the abuse of power by the president and it enraged the number of ways in which mr nixon is charged with violating his oath of office the proposed article plan that the president violated his constitutional oath an active and disregard of his constitutional duty to take care that the laws be faithfully executed the first specific charge accuses the president of violating citizens right by trying to get tax information for an authorized purposes of trying to initiate tax audits in a discriminatory manner number two charges mr nixon with misusing the

fbi the secret service and other executive branch personnel by directing them to conduct electronic surveillance that was unrelated to nationals jerky as the fbi records of those wiretaps were concealed the third section sites mr nixon for authorizing the creation of a secret police unit in the white house his unit is said to have misused the cia and within days to unlawful activities to prejudice the trial of daniel ellsberg a fourth charge accuses mr nixon of failing to act properly when he knew his subordinates were impeding lawful inquiries following the june seventeen rating it was amended the site specific such as the nomination of richard kleindienst to be attorney general electronic surveillance a break in a dark your feelings office and the financing practices of the committee to re elect the president and finally of the charges using boston accent of knowingly ms using his executive powers by interfering with agencies such as the fbi the

watergate special prosecutor the justice department and the cia i have here a congressman flowers and congressman trent lott who both represent the south won his republican one is a democrat president list of flowers that seemed to be a shift in mood today do you think that the committee is now getting more businesslike and really just getting down to work and not being as rhetorical and three and was argumentative well most of the prosecution of propositions events played a lovely about you drive until everybody fantasies has passed one to go now and not the border that says get down to business tomorrow well i think that the why we had occasions slipped in the song warrior by arguments that for the most part we have got now the serious business today i think that maybe tomorrow we get in these other areas it may change a little bit because these are want to maybe three articles of having money

or die measure and was with a little long even more rapidly than we did it and it was directed by friday saturday standards and all fall the way alan fried right now with a vote against although the proposal intended mean that this is serious business maze we're going to talk about of like any of the loans proposed articles at least must enter the page no you didn't think any of the five years i have a hard time disagreeing with the gentleman from south mississippi my in laws live in his district in our constituents of his friend of mine and i have the highest regard let me ask you gentleman something president nixon is pinning his hopes and southerners particularly in the senate now we have a split opinion here and two senators <unk> let's just turn to you do you think the president will be able to hold the south in the house and in the senate oh i think it's obvious

already believe will be able to hold all of the sound so it strongly support the conference that involve art but i think particularly in the democratic side how that will come in the senate that's another thing i really got it but i think again you get feedback from back in mississippi are the people with you understand an impeachment or or is there an erosion even there i think it's been interesting that every member is dominant that the wires letters and he's got it all its been free water for once for the position he's taken from all across the country but i think the people in mississippi are generally think that i've done the right thing and that's the mayor's reflected that were that used cars i'm not your mom wails than three to one in support of water in the house and in st louis and so there's all of the ballpark i hope and i believe honestly believe working at it was lamb and we have

trent and voting their own conclusions based on a lot of the comment on the planet i think it's mostly southerners very dramatically within themselves and i think it's a matter of conscience bob here and you will see them all of all art based on their understanding of history and what's involved and the evidence inadmissible house is a perfect example of it throughout the days and the nights events have been jack murphy at georgetown university law center next morning edition law and stephen hess former aide richard nixon senior fellow at brookings institution and the author of several books on american politics and one question we antarctica one charge in the president with obstruction of justice now have article to charging him with abusing of using the powers of the presidential powers is in the cab of his presidential powers as so delineated in the constitution in your opinion which is the more serious of the state i can think of a lot

of fun not a lawyer i assume that under the law articles one of articles to be like comparing ways and bullets service both have the same end result of both a political fair to say healthy but let's compare it the allegations monica won the watergate cover cover up and the lead i can imagine that a presidential candidate would wake up an awareness song damn fools of broken into the opposition headquarters on your behalf and election has threatened to protect yourself i think you might find that you start to sink like a knife quagmire first and for withholding evidence and then into perjury is in talks of clemency in hush money in so called containment but then that the charges today and the charges of abuse of power wiretaps

using the cia and the irs and the fbi field purposes of illegally opening mail breaking in virtually all these you've proven either deliberate and their plan they're self initiated something move into incrementally for or accidentally and so for me at least they're infinitely more serious who really represent a complete misunderstanding of what our nation's history is all about what our society is all about the elements of democratic government have civil liberties in respect for each other's that one from the other so that's how i would come down on that question i think the the second article is more important from a legal point of view i think we watch the committee today create what might be characterized as a unique constitutional animal this article article two involves a concept that we will set of abuse of power that

causes rather plaintive different to me from normal concepts of criminality are one of all those normal concepts of liberty and obstruction of justice and to while individual some programs are referenced in many activities which were criminal or all the criminal the basic thrust of the president's abuse the powers of his office violated his of take care of the laws be faithfully executed as related breaches trust of the american people these charges more in the nature of the civil trial or criminal charges much of the evidence directly implicates the president's men about the president himself so in the passage of this article there is at least the suggestion strong bipartisan majority of his committee is that the president is answerable and resolve as a matter of civil constitutional law only allows men to conduct themselves in a criminal flash incorruptible ideals of trust in government it's not an unexpected proposition suggestions the first time at the

proposition has ever been announced american lawmaking body well to recap today it has been a long day before the house judiciary committee which you saw the climax just minutes ago the committee by a twenty eight to ten vote approving a second article of impeachment against mr nixon as one charging him with a broad abuse in as presidential are there were some moving speeches i thought tonight the gem particularly those speeches by southerners james manage water flowers of alabama underscoring what congressman trent lott was telling karl in just a few moments ago that the southerners are really going to be all over the lot i think today's development certainly underscores what we had been saying all along that the pro impeachment forces are very strongly in command in the committee this comes amid growing signs that the impeachment drive is gaining momentum among members of the house of representatives at large and also reports that

some republicans may now begin a new round of pressure against the president to resign our thanks to jack murphy and stephen hess tomorrow introduction and debate on other articles of impeachment contempt of congress run out of these paintings of the house judiciary committee the president's alleged defiance of those subpoenas the sacred cambodia bombing and the president's personal income taxes will undermine those of you have not seen today's debate from its beginning this morning that immediately follow on the station right will bring you on most of these public broadcasting stations complained gavel the gavel tape replay of impeachment that state races pbs for public broadcasting service you analyze as the president's you know i think he

doesn't think that living in a world of self delusion but i think there is genuine genuine leave washington week in review reports on that it's becoming increasingly doubtful whether the senate will have time this year to try the impeachment trial washington week in review discusses foreign affairs isn't there goes up and optimism pessimism and berets on sensitive deal and the senate's with moderator paula do washington week in review looks at the major national and international events of the week from washington and packers washington week in review raw fbi

says winning it is that's right nico week it's been you are

at eleven twenty tonight eastern time the house judiciary committee began its second vote to recommend impeachment of the president of the united states mr donahoe mr brooks mr kastenmeier mr edward vernon va mystic letter word by the visual on this demand that are listed are listed

on this durango like this you're in the middle are as your own or mr salmon no mystery of our lives through it and you know that's terrific mr mayne well

mr hoagland trying mr butler mr cohen mr lotto mr frederick mr morris <unk> know mr latta del restaurante del toro twenty eight members voted it voted no the resolution is agreed to in pursuant to the procedural resolution article to as amanda has adopted

it will be reported that out ooh ooh when i am from washington and try to take the gavel to gavel coverage of the house judiciary committee by july twenty nine nineteen seventy four years and black correspondent jim lehrer good evening for most of you could even again you're just saying thirty six men and two women making history by answering the role of the judiciary committee of the house of representatives and for the second time in three days they have voted to recommend to the full house an article of impeachment be voted against president richard nixon and i'd article deals with alleged abuses of presidential authority seven republicans joined all twenty one

democrats emerging now house and available basement to the sun on this charge the final vote was twenty eight of ten of the eleven republicans who voted against the first article v in the watergate only one broke ranks tonight he was robert the glory of eleanor article two charges the president of violating his oath of office by failing to take care that the laws be faithfully execute the article charges them with misusing the internal revenue service with directing the fbi and secret service to conduct unlawful wiretaps and we're allowing these secret investigative unit in the white house the conduct unlawful activity is it further charges that he failed to inform investigative bodies that his aides were interfering with them and finally is charged with misusing those investigative agencies specifically the fbi the watergate special prosecutor department of justice and the cia and the debate just prior to the final vote democrat john edwards said this article represents a reaffirmation of the bill of

rights however republican david dennis nine tank at the very end there was no evidence of the president's committee i crimes and misdemeanors all for proceeding let's do a brief recap of today's parliamentary developments they began with missouri democrat william hundred move to amend the second article first introduced last week by the democratic majorities specifically representative harold donahue of massachusetts bipartisan coalition supporting impeachment and beat back attempts to strike out two of the major charges against the president dealing with the internal revenue service plumbers unit and electronic surveillance to know these attacks were pushed by republican charles wiggins third attempt came from democrat jack brooks and was merely an attempt to give the democrats a chance to detail their charge that the president had an issues the irs after the debate the motion was withdrawn all the amendments were defeated by better than two to one margins along the same lines as the vote to impeach

for obstruction of justice in the watergate case that passed by twenty seven to eleven the only significant change in language came on an amendment by republicans william cohen and caldwell butler the charred specify the president failed to act when he learned his aides were interfering with investigations investigations involve the watergate cover up the nomination of richard kleindienst to be attorney general electronic surveillance ellsberg break in and campaign financial abuses or down the hill well it was a day of exhaustion it was a day when his ragtag army of congressmen and reporters in and members of the public who have been waiting in line so these days were beginning to show exhaustion was there on the faces and also i think it showed in the debate there was not a fire that was not the anger there was not the the crossing of sorts that you had last week and remember to saturday night was the night when the first

article of impeachment was voted so it was much easier to get around the vote this time the ice had been broken today you had less college maneuvering there was a bitter debate on specific amendments but everybody was much more or he'll much more willing to bend much more willing to go along with the rules and say you had all but was later night when we got through article to the entire proceedings ended on a note of high note an optimistic note and without the great agonizing suleiman solemnity that you've had on saturday night live they also praised the events that have occurred we have one of steve's stephen hess at a political scientist now the brookings institution here in washington and jack murphy a law professor at georgetown university jonah know what will we be looking for as the committee now continues its debate and to other articles jack well i would suggest that if you're going to be paid to three or four things that will come up in the replay of today's

activity the opening part of the committee hearings and more violent exchange between mr wiggins mr danielson on the question of whether or not the charge of abuse of power in charge of a high crime misdemeanor such as required by the constitution i strongly recommend close attention the exchange and some were disappointed that the moon developer more secondly was doing was introduced a man who apparently assured that the managers of the article of impeachment senate would have to prove crucial presidential involvement in the axis of activities of his subordinates and that amendment was defeated mean the suggestion that a less than forceful presence involvement would nonetheless the basis for impeachment the specificity argument recurs respected paragraph for this proposed article i would suggest that listeners will observe lawyer in its best the most functional in this particular discussion wherein the world's seeing on the internal structure of

the program is clear complete unfair fight the discussion electronic surveillance is one thing to be closely observed by all americans concerned as we are with the penetration government in our lives the ambiguities of law firm will spell out by the various congressmen or you i think the ambiguity is a factor there could've been a close and discussion when proponents of impeachment neighbor strong case that the president has acted through his agents and properly in the area steve you say in a way that the republicans by now regroup around the president can save the president in the house and it's highly unlikely polo this committee is not an exact replica of the house republicans slightly more conservative than the four house democrats were slightly more liberal than the full house the committee itself has consumed more junior and seniority there eleven freshman on the committee nevertheless they give us some very strong clues and the considerable split in the republican ranks should be expected

after all the republicans are a minority they only have one hundred and eighty seven votes out of a four hundred and thirty five so even division along these lines would be disastrous in the house gentlemen thank you very much and it will be watching nearly three and a half hours of parliament for just think are behind the arguments over words are very serious attempt to limit the accusations against the press and he'll say the president's supporters made little headway with those efforts and the first hour republican joe williams because the views of our charge bales to stay an impeachable offense was struck by the constitution democrat georgia than us and countered by saying that a piece of the oath of office is a uniquely presidential facts and our number two charles son and takes issue with complaints about white house meetings with the internal revenue service not a single order to evade spam and content also an

sro laurie holden explained one reason the ellsberg case ended in a mistrial is because fbi records on a wiretap on his phone were delivered to the oval office and an attempt to keep and conceal and our three republican cause morehead argues that it was the president's duty was the plate because it meant saving lives of us soldiers in vietnam also on that our judge roberts that big brother is no longer limited to russia because in this country a secret police have been listening to our fault and in the final hour moderate republican hamilton fish contended the genesis of the plumbers unit was the publication of the pentagon papers now let's go back to the beginning of the judiciary committee's third day of debate as chairman latino calls the committee to watergate committee will come to order and before the chair called upon the cleric and pursuance of the procedural resolution to read article co chair like to make several announcements for ios there has been

distributed the substitute which is going to be offered by the gentleman from missouri and i have been advised that there is a i would rather go ever which appears on page two in paragraph three and the word was elation b unlawfully ways but members blues record copies of quietly but the clerk well when a substitute is the ad ray is ensure that that is not a show it also states that there are other technical changes which will be called a live action of the committee and there as soon as the

center's a carcass them before him and error and vibrant form they will be called of the attention of the members and properly displayed unlike the state that there are going to be several roll call votes on the floor of the house and that is the intention of the chair that they're following the first vote for paul or roll call vote that there will be a recess for a period of time which will be stated at the time of the recess will be but where it is not that we may proceed after that and that in an effort to resolve this problem i do i'm going to go on a pond a cleric sort of a resolution to raid on eco too and would like to

state that they have the chair will recognize following that perfecting amendments and water that we'd procedurally and unable to allow members of pi day then on the substitute that would be recognized thats gotten severely in places the recognition right now i'll call upon the flat re post article two the crippling article two and his conduct of the office of president of the united states richard m nixon contrary to his own faithfully execute the office and to preserve protect and defend the moment of death in amman as an animator without oil to without any resolution and the chairman of that i mean after four bags of my colleagues

once more before the court reached that further type on page to thuggery they would write that and it's written in the protests he has known as an insurgent acting personally and through his subordinates and agents that is the uncertain on your resume this is so three on page two wind won it would really heralds the new insert acting first going through his subordinates an agent and perceived imbalance in the book a reading about reform of our vast numbers for my parents substitute offered by article two is it the powers of the office of president of the united states richard m nixon violation of his constitutional will faithfully execute the office of president of the

united states and to the best of his ability preserve protect and defend the constitution of the united states and then disregarded his constitutional duty to take care of the lofty faithfully executed has repeatedly engaged in conflict violating the constitutional rights of citizens in karina do on proper ministries of justice and the conduct unlawful entry is a part of in the laws governing agencies in the executive branch and the purposes of these agencies this convent has included one or more of the following one the hair is i think personally and through his subordinates and agents invented to obtain from the internal revenue service violation of the constitutional rights of citizens confidential information contained in income tax returns for purposes not authorized by law and

to cause in violation of the constitutional rights of citizens income tax on its or other income tax investigations to be initiated are conducted in a discriminatory manner to the misuse of federal bureau investigation the secret service and other insects or personnel in violation or disregarded the constitutional rights of citizens like directing or authorizing such agencies or personnel to conduct or continue electronic surveillance or other investigations for purposes unrelated to national security enforcement was or any other lawful function of his office he did direct authorize or permit the use of information obtained thereby for purposes unrelated to national security enforcing the laws or any unlawful function of his office and he did direct the concealment of certain records made

by the federal bureau of investigation electronic surveillance three he has i think personally and through his subordinates and agents in violation or disregarded the constitutional rights of citizens authorized have permitted to be maintained a secret investigative unit within the office of the president financed in part with money derived from campaign contributions which unlawfully utilize resources of the central intelligence agency and they speak over an unlawful activities and attempted to prejudice a constitutional right of the accused to a fair trial for years failed to take care that the laws are faithfully executed by failing to act when he knew or had reason to know but his clothes subordinates endeavored to impede and frustrate lawful inquiries are duly constituted executive

judicial legislation legislative committees concerning the unlawful entry into the headquarters of the democratic national committee and concerning other matters fire and disregard for the rule of law he knowingly misused executive power by interfering with agencies in the executive branch including the federal bureau of investigation the criminal division in the office of watergate special prosecution force and the department of justice and the central intelligence agency in violation of his duty to take care of the last to faithfully execute he's been there he will think of me an article in awe of this richard m nixon has

acted in a manner contrary to his trust as president and subversive of constitutional government of the great tragedies of the cause of law and justice and to the manifest into of the people of the united states where four richard m nixon by such conduct wars impeachment and trial and removed from office the gentleman california's recognized for my point where a movie of the state an impeachable offense and not be recognized does that this famine and members of the committee and it's quite clear from a full reading of people thought it to that the relevant about it is an abuse are on the part of the president of united states that concept of abuses stated in various places i use of the

word misuse and he'd use of the word interrogation of constitutional rights says that would be in violation of those rights the question is whether an abuse of power all within the meaning of the phrase high crimes and misdemeanors sense we can compete on a lot of aids if it does not then my point of order to be sustained if it does that we should proceed with the consideration about it my problem mr chairman is that i have no quarrel with the music on that when that time that does in and of itself violate the law if that be the case that we should be impeached because of those violations i do have serious concerns as to whether or not comeback which does not violate the law but which may be characterized by this committee of the congress as abusive falls within the phrase high crimes and misdemeanors for parents from the proposed article that its author believes that abuse in combat is impeachable

my problem is this just what is that what is mean i suggest that that is an empty phrase adding meaning only in terms of what we pour into him it must reflect our subjective views of impropriety as distinguished from being objective views and ninety eight of life society in its laws it ought to be clear that this committee a committee of lawyers that such a phrase as abusive how abuse of power is sufficiently imprecise beneath the past required by the fifth amendment in my view the chairman the adoption of such an article would've been in our constitutional history for the first time for the very first time the principle that a president may be impeached because of the view of congress that he has abused his powers also he may have acted in violation of the law if that is true then we truly are a lot of fine

the statement attributed to the now vice president at impeachment means exactly what the congress as it means at any given moment by declaring punishable conduct which was not illegal when done this congress is raising the issue of a beloved pain contrary to the restroom to the constitution the argument of ex post facto legislation is now before us if we are to declare the piece be fb