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Impeachment and removal (view source)
Revision as of 17:21, February 6, 2020
, 17:21, February 6, 2020→Richard Nixon (1974)
===Richard Nixon (1974)===
===Richard Nixon (1974)===
Nixon came into office in 1968 burdened by a vendetta dating back to the imprisonment of [[New Deal]] golden boy [[Alger Hiss]] in 1948 and the [[Amerasia]] scandal involving a the arrest of a ''[[Washington Post]]'' reporter on [[espionage]] charges.
Until 1974, no impeachment proceedings that managed to pass the first stage, the Judiciary Committee, had occurred since the Johnson trial over a hundred years earlier. Most Americans thought of impeachment as something quaint and bizarre in the history books.
Until 1974, no impeachment proceedings that managed to pass the first stage, the Judiciary Committee, had occurred since the Johnson trial over a hundred years earlier. At the time, congressmen and their staffs were unfamiliar with the law and proceedings involved with impeachment, and needed to research the question. Most Americans thought of impeachment as something quaint and bizarre in the history books.
The House of Representatives voted to authorize an impeachment inquiry against [[Richard M. Nixon]], on charges of obstruction of justice in connection with the Watergate affair. The Judiciary Committee was authorized by the full House to investigate allegations and subpoenaed President Nixon's secret recordings of [[Oval Office]] conversations with subordinates. Nixon resisted the subpoenas, claiming Executive privilege, and appealed to the [[Supreme Court]]. At the time, congressmen and their staffs were unfamiliar with the law and proceedings involved with impeachment, and needed to research the question.
The House of Representatives voted to authorize an impeachment inquiry against [[Richard M. Nixon]], on charges of obstruction of justice in connection with the Watergate affair. The Judiciary Committee was authorized by the full House to investigate allegations and subpoenaed President Nixon's secret recordings of [[Oval Office]] conversations with subordinates. Nixon resisted the subpoenas, claiming Executive privilege, and appealed to the [[Supreme Court]].
On July 27, 1974, the Committee on the Judiciary voted to recommend three articles of impeachment. The articles concerned his obstruction of justice during the Watergate investigations. When the Supreme Court ruled against Nixon's claim of Executive privilege, stating that an actual [[crime]] had been committed and Executive privilege could not be used to cover a crime, Nixon resigned. Defying a Supreme Court order would certainly constitute a high crime and impeachable offense. Nixon resigned from the presidency on August 9, 1974, after key Congressional allies told him his fate was all but assured. Thus, Nixon was never actually impeached by a vote of the full House.
On July 27, 1974, the Committee on the Judiciary voted to recommend three articles of impeachment. The articles concerned his obstruction of justice during the Watergate investigations. When the Supreme Court ruled against Nixon's claim of Executive privilege, stating that an actual [[crime]] had been committed and Executive privilege could not be used to cover a crime, Nixon resigned. Defying a Supreme Court order would certainly constitute a high crime and impeachable offense. Nixon resigned from the presidency on August 9, 1974, after key Congressional allies told him his fate was all but assured. Thus, Nixon was never actually impeached by a vote of the full House.