Impeachment Hearings: House Judiciary Committee, July 30, 1974 (1/2)
Impeachment Hearings: House Judiciary Committee, July 30, 1974 (1/2)
[00.18.12] Mr. LATTA. And certainly the Congress of the United States is to be commended for repealing that legislation which permitted those type deductions. And second, I find him guilty of gross negligence for not taking more time in going Over his tax returns at the time he signed them. All through this investigation I have found the President of the United States too busy to take care of the little details that we have talked about here tonight, and I don't consider the matter of taxes a little detail. I have before me the transcript. We had Mr. Kalmbach, the President's personal attorney, testify before this committee about him going in for the ceremonial signing because he had only seen the President of the United States--get this--his personal attorney--five or six times in about 5 years. So he went along- to witness the ceremonial signing of this tax return. And what. did he say under questioning by Mr. St. Clair? [quote] "How long, were you in the President's presence?" "approximately. well, 35 to 40 minutes." [end quote] Well, now, I say to you that it takes me 10 times that, long to go over I page of my very simple tax return. But here, the President of the United States goes over a very complicated tax return and they are only in his is office, 35 to 40 minutes. Now, I say that is gross negligence. He should have taken a longer look. And in the meantime they talked about other things and we, 'have heard testimony here tonight that would lead you to believe that he went over page by page, line by line and the evidence does not support that statement. Now. the President, as has been alluded to here tonight, has paid those taxes with the exception of The 1969, He doesn't have to pay them but he has promised to pay 1969. We could go into that in great detail and I am certain that the President will pay 1969 even though he is not required to do so. Let's skip along to what Mr. Brooks has talked about, security precautions out at these Presidential mansions or homes or whatever he prefers to call them. Now, Mr. Brooks is in a very unique situation. He, was chairman of the subcommittee that went into these matters but likewise there was another subcommittee of this Congress that went into them also and that happens to be a subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee that, paid the bills. Now, what was the finding of this subcommittee? Did they find anything grossly wrong as has been alluded to here by Mr. Brooks? Absolutely not. And we had a press conference by the gentleman from Oklahoma who happens to chair that subcommittee when he stated in so many words, that was true. And I might say that I talked to that gentleman this afternoon on the floor of the House and he is still of that opinion. We have gross negligence but it is on the part of the GSA in putting these security precautions and I heard him say this afternoon---- The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman's time has expired. Mr. LATTA [continuing]. That it is cheaper to keep Presidents alive than to bury them. Mr. HUTCHINSON. 'Mr. Chairman,. I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York, Mr. Fish. The CHAIRMAN. Mr, Fish is recognized for 1 minute. Mr. FISH. I thank the gentleman very much for yielding to me. I certainly want to associate myself with what has been said about the tax situation being a bad scene. 'Nevertheless, there is not to be found before us evidence that the President acted willfully to evade his taxes. I do not think that can be, said on the basis of all the careful work that our staff has put before us. We do know that the IRS investigation has been cursory. They, no more than we, have not had under oath the key witnesses In this matter We also know that they have referred the matter to the Special Prosecutor and I believe that is where the matter should rest as far as we are concerned. If in the course of the Special Prosecutor's investigation now information comes to light, we have the reserve power to amend our articles at any time in the future, and I yield to the gentleman from Indiana. [00.22.44]