"Summer of Judgement Pt 2 of 2" Award-winning documentary regarding the Nixon Impeachment Judiciary Hearings & the Committee headed by Peter Rodino following the Watergate scandal.
DO NOT USE Still of Watergate. Still of New York Daily News: "4 Top Nixon Aides Out: Kleindienst, Haldeman, Dean & Ehrlichman Resign."
MS former White House Counsel JOHN DEAN (John W. Dean III testifying to Senate Subcommittee: "I began by telling the President that there was a cancer growing on the Presidency and if the cancer was not removed the President himself would be killed by it."
DO NOT USE Still of Time Magazine cover w/ illustration of President Nixon: "How much did he know?" Still of Washington Post: "Nixon Tells Editors, I'm Not A Crook."
CU President RICHARD M. NIXON delivering speech ot Joint Session of Congress: "One year of Watergate is enough."
DO NOT USE Still of Time Magazine cover
MSs Rep. PETER RODINO (D-NJ) holding gavel aloft during Impeachment hearings.
DO NOT USE Opening Credits
Panning TLSs Congressional Committee during Impeachment Hearings. CU Peter Rodino: "This is a turning point, whatever we decide." Quotes from unidentified Congressmen.
Host Charles McDowell introduces program from congressional hearings room.
MSs former Associate General Counsel GARNER CLINE speaking to Judiciary Committee: "Resolved that Richard M. Nixon, President of the United States, is impeached for high crimes & misdemeanors & that the following articles of impeachment be exhibited to the Senate. Article One: In his conduct of the office of President, Richard M. Nixon, in violation of his Constitutional oath ... has prevented, obstructed & impeded the administration of justice."
DO NOT USE Graphic of reasons for Article One of Impeachment: Obstruction of Justice.
MS Garner Cline: "Wherefore, Richard M. Nixon, by such conduct warrants impeachment & trial & removal from office." TLSs House Judiciary (Rodino Committee). MS Rep. CHARLES WIGGINS (R-CA) debating on Nixon's behalf: "The heart of this matter is that the Presdent made it his policy to obstruct justice & to interfere w/ investigations. Would you please explain when & in what respect & how did the President declare that policy?" MS Rep. CHARLES SANDMAN (R-NJ) debating: "Do you or do you not believe that the President is entitled to know in the articles of impeachment specifically on what day he did that thing which you say he should be tried to be removed form office?" MS Rep. PAUL SARBANES (D-MD) replying "I do not believe that the article of impeachment is going to contain all of the specific facts which go to support the article. If it were to do that it would be 18 volumes." Mr. Sandman continues attack for specificity. TLS Judiciary in recess.
Former Rep. Jim Mann says in 1984 interview that they were arguing legalities that the public didn t know about. Former Rep. Barbara Jordan says in 1984 interview that they weren't ready to compose articles of impeachment when it came time to do so, attacks Charles Sandman's specificity tactic.
TLSs House Judiciary in session. MSs Rep. WILLIAM COHEN (R-MD) debating to Judiciary: "Specifically, the President, who bears the ultimate responsibility for the enforcement of our laws, did not report this to the Attorney General or to the Director of the FBI." MS Rep. WILLIAM HUNGATE (D-MO): "We sit through these hearings day after day. I tell you, if a guy brought an elephant through that door & one of us said that's an elephant, some of the doubters would say that could be a mouse w/ a glandular condition." TLSs Committee, crowd laughing. Rep. Charles Wiggins (R-CA): "Each in turn, yesterday & the day before, we paid triubute to the Constitution. Well, now is the time to put up or shut up b/c we're talking about the Constitution. We're talking about the 5th Amendment."
Former Rep Jim Mann in a 1984 interview says he was frustrated w/ the GOP reps specificity tactic.
MS/CUs Rep. JAMES MANN (D-SC): "The President, if he goes to trial, is going to trial not only knowing what the charge is, but knowing what every iota ... of evidence that's been made ot this committee." MSs Rep. DELBERT LATTA (R-OH) stacking volumes of evidence to illustrate how unwieldy it would be in trial. MS Chairman PETER RODINO (D-NJ) speaking to House Judiciary.
Barbara Jordan in an 1984 interview says the Rodino called her into his office to discus due process argument.
MSs Rep. BARBARA JORDAN (D-TX) speaking to Judiciary: "If we have not afforded the President due process as we have proceeded through this impeachment inquiry then there is no due process to be found anywhere." "Due process tripled. Due process quadrupled." TLS/MSs Rep. CHARLES SANDMAN (R-NJ) debating. MSs Rep. WALTER FLOWERS (D-AL), Rep. TOM RAILSBACK (R-IL), Rep. WILLIAM COHEN (R-DE), Rep. M. CALDWELL BUTLER (R-VA) debating. Pannign TLS House Judiciary. MS Rep. Charles Sandman: "To those who favor keeping the Sarbanes substitute as it is, you've got 27 votes. Let's go on w/ our business." MS Rep. Walter Flowers: "There are people in my district who will disagree w/ my vote here. Some will say it hurts them deeply for me to vote for impeachment. I can assure them that I probably have enough pain for them & me." MS Chariman PETER RODINO (D-NJ) calling for vote on Article One of Impeachment. TLS House Judiciary. Panning MS U.S. Representatives voting: Harold Donohue (Aye); Jack Brooks (Aye); William Flowers (Aye); James Mann (Aye); Paul Sarbanes (Aye); Charles Rangel (Aye); Barbara Jordan (Aye); Ray Thornton (Aye); Robert McClory (No); Henry Smith (No); Charles Sandman (No); Tom Railsback (Aye); Charles Wiggins (No); David Dennis (No); Hamilton Fish (Aye); Wiley Mayne (No); Lawrence Hogan (Aye); M. Caldwell Butler (Aye); William Cohen (Aye); Trent Lott (No); Delbert Latta (No); Peter Rodino (Aye). MS Chairman Rodino: "Persuant to the resolution, Article One, that resolution is adopted & will be reported to the House." Bangs gavel. TLS House Judiciary adjourning.
Barbara Jordan in a 1984 interview recalls several members crying after vote. Peter Rodino in a 1984 interview recalls crying. M. Caldwell Butler in a 1984 interview recalls crying as well.
Host Charles McDowell
TLSs House Judiciary Committee. MS Rep. CHARLES WIGGINS (R-CA) debating: "The question is whether an abuse of power falls within the meaning of the phrase high crimes & misdemeanors, since we can impeach on no other basis."
DO NOT USE Graphic of reasons for Article Two of Impeachment, Abuse of Power. Still of Daniel Ellsberg. CU The Pentagon Papers. Chicago Sun-Times headline: "Psychiatric Files Rifled: Ellsberg Target of Watergate Spies."
MS Rep. Charles Wiggins: "The question is not whether the creation of the Plumbers was justified ... the issue rather is whether or not the activities of that unit once created constitute an impeachable offense." TLS/MSs Rep. WILLIAM COHEN (R-DE): "Mr. Colson told us that on several occasions the President urged Colson to disseminate information about Ellsberg & his attorney." MSs Rep. WILEY MAYNE (R-IA) defending Nixon: "The President felt on the advice of his closest foreign policy & national defense advisors that he had to act to protect the nat'l security to stop these leaks. In my judgment he acted unwisely in setting up this special investigative unit headed by a brilliant young man who had no investigative experience. But is the President to be impeached b/c he made an error in judgment in his decision to act quickly & necessarily to protect the national defense?" MS Rep. JEROME WALDIE (D-CA): "For the President's defenders to suggest that it was an extraordinary departure from the institutions of law enforcement but warranted b/c of the threat of national security, the burden is clearly on them to establish that the activities of the Plumbers were designed to protect the national security." Panning TLS House Judiciary voting to dismiss Wiggins' motion to drop the Abuse of Power charge. MS Rep. DON EDWARDS (D-CA): "No proposition could be more profoundly subversive of the Constitution than the notion that any public official posseses any kind of inherent power to set the Constitution aside whenever he thinks the public interest warrants it. It is the very definiton of dictatorship. Dictatorship is simply a system in which one man is empowered to do whatever he deems needful for the whole community." MS Rep. JAMES MANN (D-SC): "This Committee has spent 10 weeks reviewing the evidence. It's not fair to you to pull the tidbits out."
Jim Mann in a 1984 interview discusses his apprehension toward the presence of TV cameras in presenting the facts properly.
MS audience listening intently. TLS/MSs Rep. Jim Mann debating: "It isn't the Presidency that is in jeopardy from us. We would strive to strengthen the Presidency. But if there be no accountability, another President will feel free to do as he chooses. But the next time there may be no watchman in the night."
Host Charles McDowell discusses successful & failed impeachment resolutions, talks about the Smoking Gun White House tapes.
Charles Wiggins in a 1984 interview talks about the Smoking Gun tapes.
MS/CUs House Judiciary members & Nixon defenders Rep. TRENT LOTT (R-MO), Rep. ROBERT MCCLORY (R-IL), Rep. WILEY MAYNE (R-IO), Rep Charles Wiggins (R-CA), Rep. CHARLES SANDMAN (R-NJ), Rep. DELBERT LATTA (R-OH) at press conference following release of Smoking Gun tapes, announcing their support of Article One of Impeachment, recommending the resignation of President Richard Nixon.
DO NOT USE Stills of Senate Minority leader Hugh Scott, Senator Barry Goldwater (R-AZ), House Minority leader John Rhoades (sp). Chicago Tribune headline: "Impeachment sure, Nixon admits; suppport crumbles."
MS/CUs President RICHARD M. NIXON delivering nat'l address, 8/8/1974 (resignation speech): "Throughout the long & difficult period of Watergate I have felt it was my duty to perservere, to make every possible effort to complete the term of office to which you elected me. In the past few days, however, it has become evident to me that I no longer have a strong enough political base in the Congress to justify continuing that effort." "Therefore, I shall resign the Presidency effective at noon tomorrow. Vice-President Ford will be sworn in as President at that hour in this office." CU formal resignation letter from Richard Nixon to Sec. Of State Henry Kissinger.
Host Charles McDowell closes program.
Panning MS GERALD FORD & BETTY FORD escorting Richard Nixon & Pat Nixon to Marine One helicopter on White House grounds; MS Richard Nixon turning on steps, waving to crowd (no peace / victory sign).
DO NOT USE Graphic and Closing Credits.