Impeachment Hearings: House Judiciary Committee, July 30, 1974 (1/2)
Impeachment Hearings: House Judiciary Committee, July 30, 1974 (1/2)
[00.02.00--NPACT logo----Rep. RAILSBACK] Rep. RAILSBACK commenting that the committee's bipartisan coalition for the serious articles of impeachment is about to engage in "political overkill" [cut Rep. CONYERS] Rep. CONYERS comments that members are acting as if the debate is a final vote for impeachment rather than doing their duty as a committee and passing articles on to the full HOUSE for deliberation. [title sequence with 3-d rotating Capitol Dome image] [Jim LEHRER in studio--this is the opening of the television coverage of the day's debate--telecast starts with the evening session live, with taped daytime debate to follow.] LEHRER welcomes audience, stating that the Judicial Committee will close out its role by the end of the night, with the final tally being a firm recommendation to the HOUSE that NIXON be impeached, tried, and removed from office on three ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT--OBSTRUCTING JUSTICE, ABUSING POWER, and DEFYING COMMITTEE SUBPOENAS. LEHRER notes that the fourth Article, pertaining to the CAMBODIA BOMBING was rejected. Unless there is a change of heart, the committee is expected also to defeat the Article charging Nixon with TAX FRAUD and PROFITEERING from his office. [cut Paul DUKE] DUKE says it is now clear what the final Impeachment Resolution will look like. The first charge, OBSTRUCTING JUSTICE, was resolved through four days of debate, and was approved by a 27-11 vote. The second charge, ABUSE OF POWER, was approved by a vote of 28-10. The third Article related to failure to comply with SUBPOENAS, and was approved by a smaller 21-17 vote. The fourth article, charging violation of Congress' War Power by the secret bombing of CAMBODIA, failed to pass, by a vote of 12-26. DUKE says that the night's aorder of business will be the final Article proposed, dealing with NIXON'S taxes and proposed by DEMOCRAT Edward MEZVINSKY of Iowa. The vote is expected to come after two hours of limited debate. LEHRER introduces Christopher GAUL, White HOuse Reporter, to comment on President NIXON'S reactions and course of action with regard to the WHITE HOUSE TAPES. GAUL says that NIXON lawyer James St. CLAIR delivered the tapes as required to Judge SIRICA that morning for the criminal trial. Says that NIXON is going to claim EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE on some sections of the tapes, in a brief to be given to SIRICA. LEHRER asks what it means for the W.H. Press Secretary to claim EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE. States his belief that all tapes will be given to Judge SIRICA, but not all will then be handed over to Special Prosecutor JAWORSKI. GAUL confirms this, and says it is the judge's decision whether the claim of Privilege is valid. LEHRER asks about the news with regard to NIXON personally. GAUL says the latest eyewitness account was from Treasury Secretary Simon, who met with NIXON that day and described NIXON'S state of mind as positive and affirmative, with apparently no regard to IMPEACHMENT. Says that Secretary SIMON's opinion was that NIXON would not be impeached. DUKE asks if such a vote of confidence by Sec. Simon is just a formality GAUL says that if he were in the Sec's shoes, he'd be hard pressed to say that the President was feeling awful, but that from some film that he's seen, it doesn't appear that NIXON is doing too poorly. LEHRER thanks GAUL, turns to next issue. The night's proceedings are characterized as pertaining more to the person of Richard NIXON than to his conduct of his office. Calls on Carolyn LEWIS at Capitol for a report [LEWIS shown on TV screen behind LEHRER] LEWIS states that the committee will spend two hours looking into the President's taxes and expenditures for NIXON'S homes, as proposed by Rep. MEZVINSKY. Says that the ARTICLE is not given any chance to pass, but that the debate will be a prime-time chance to air personal charges against NIXON. [cut LEHRER standing at "scoreboard" in studio--photos of Rep's. stuck to board under AYE or NAY] LEHRER announces a review of the voting breakdown in the committee article by article. Goes through first Article I, discussing BIPARTISANISM of support for first two ARTICLES. States that the coalition broke down on Article III. [00.14.09]