Impeachment Hearings: House Judiciary Committee, July 29, 1974 (2/2)
Impeachment Hearings: House Judiciary Committee, July 29, 1974 (2/2)
[01.21.44] The CLERK. Mr. Chairman? The CHAIRMAN. The clerk -will report. The CLERK. Ten members have voted aye, 28 members have voted no. The CHAIRMAN. The amendment is not agreed to. I recognize the gentleman form from Maine for purposes of the offering an amendment. Mr. COHEN. Mr. Mr. Chairman. I have an amendment at the desk. The CHAIRMAN. The clerk will read the amendment The CLERK. [reading] Amendment by Mr. Cohen. On page 3, subparagraph 4, strike line 7 and insert in lieu thereof the following new language: "National Committee and the cover-up thereof and concerning unlawful activities including those relating to the confirmation of Richard Kleindienst as Attorney General of the United States, electronic surveillance of private citizens, the break into the offices of Dr. Lewis Fielding and the campaign financing practices of the Committee to Re-Elect the President. Mr. COHEN. Mr. Chairman? The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman is recognized . Mr. COHEN. Mr. Chairman, I might just briefly indicate, this is the long-awaited amendment put together by Mr. Butler and myself, calling for greater specifies in the subparagraph 4. 1 think we all agree, at least I do and Mr. Butler, that the statement was too general. I want to commend Mr. Wiggins for drawing our attention to it and Mr. McClory for perfecting it, but I think those are the, specific areas that would warrant inclusion under that subparagraph and I would urge, urge my colleagues to support it. Mr. HUNGATE. Would the gentleman yield Mr. COHEN. I -will yield to the gentleman from Missouri. Hr. HUNGATE. I will be pleased to accept this as an improvement in the language and accept it, move it. The CHAIRMAN. The question is on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Maine. All those in favor of the amendment please signify by saying aye. [Chorus of "ayes."] The CHAIRMAN. Opposed. [Chorus of "noes."] The CHAIRMAN. The amendment is agreed to. The gentleman from California is seeking recognition. Mr. WIGGINS. Yes, Mr. Chairman. I have a motion to strike subparagraph 3 at the desk. The CHAIRMAN. The clerk will read the amendment. The CLERK. [reading]: Amendment by Mr. Wiggins In the Hungate substitute, strike subparagraph 3. The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman from California. Mr. WIGGINS. Mr. Chairman, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Iowa. Mr. Mayne. The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman is recognized. Mr. MAYNE. I thank the gentleman for yielding to me. This particular paragraph is the one which make the charge of setting up the special investigations unit, in the White House, so- called Plumbers unit. Now, I think that in considering this charge, it is necessary to think of the background under which the President made this decision and part of that background is what the gentlewoman from Texas has referred to as the climate of leaks, There is no question that there had been a series of very damaging and serious leaks for several years. One has already been referred to by Mr. Moorhead as the leak in 1969 of the secret estimates of the U.S. Intelligence Board of Soviet strategic strength, and particularly of Soviet first strike power. This was a highly confidential document, but it was released by some official, leaked to a reporter and appeared in the New York Times on June 18, 1969, stating our estimates of Soviet first strike power. [01.26.27]