Impeachment Hearings: House Judiciary Committee, July 26, 1974 (2/2)
Impeachment Hearings: House Judiciary Committee, July 26, 1974 (2/2)
*See information in RIGHTS field before using* [01.22.22] VAN ALSTYNE disagrees, saying that the essential decisin of the coalition is that there is enough evidence to convince a reasonable person that NIXON did commit certain acts, and that the 27 members on the impeachment side trust John DOAR'S counsel that due process is served by the ARTICLE as drafted, if these members have put aside their disagreements on which particular acts and allegations are relevant for one vote, there is no reason why the coalition cannot hold together. DIAMOND says that he was impressed by the way the PROCEDURAL question of SPECIFICITY raised debate that caused members to fall out on lines of SUBSTANCE with respect to impeachment Says that the committee debate is crucial because the large number of hardcore, PRO-IMPEACHMENT, liberal DEMOCRATS must compromise with more moderate members to draft a bill of impeachment that moderates and REPUBLICANS in the HOUSE will be willing to support. Likewise, the smaller core of intensely PRO-NIXON members is pursuing a strategy of tying all substantive matters to questions of DUE PROCESS, characterizing the IMPEACHMENT as akin to criminal proceeding, to make their case. [RETURN to LEWIS at CAPITOL--standing in a now-empty corridor] LEWIS says to expect more haggling and procedural debates, but possibly one side will relent and a vote on the first ARTICLE OF IMPEACHMENT may be reached by the end of the day. [DUKE/LEHRER in studio, LEHRER standing at "scoreboard"] DUKE: the day's hearings have clearly shown a majority coalition for impeachment. LEHRER: wonders aloud what changes are required on the scoreboard. 23 definite Ayes, 11 Noes, two "maybe's", says that extrapolating the vote, he can move rep's FISH and RAILSBACK to the AYE category and FROEHLICH to the NO category. DUKE argues that FROEHLICH has indicated he could vote for other ARTICLES. LEHRER agrees and moves FROEHLICH photo a bit away from the rest of the no voters. DUKE signs off [01.29.45--PBS ID] [01.29.52--TAPE OUT]