Watergate Impeachment Hearings. House Judiciary Committee, July 26, 1974
Watergate Impeachment Hearings. House Judiciary Committee, July 26, 1974
Watergate Impeachment Hearings. House Judiciary Committee, July 26, 1974 Peter Rodino (D New Jersey). I recognize the gentleman from Maine, Mr. Cohen. William Cohen (R - Maine). Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I didn't realize that I was seeking recognition, but I am glad to accept it. I would certainly like to follow up on a point just made by the gentleman from California, Mr. Edwards. In terms of what the duty of the President of the United States is and what the nature of these proceedings are because we have heard this time after time all day long placed in the category of a criminal proceeding. It seems to me last evening yesterday, we talked many hours very eloquently, very eloquently about the sacred obligation of our positions, the sacred trust that each and every one of us hold. And the sacred trust that the President holds. And whenever we talk about that position of trust, I am always reminded about the magnificent words of Justice Cardozo when he talked about the duty of a trustee, the duty of fiduciaries being something higher than the morals of a marketplace, the punctilio of an honor most sensitive. And that is the standard we should be looking at here, the punctilio of an honor the most sensitive. So, it seems to me rather incredulous when I hear some of my colleagues suggest that only if the President raises his hand and swears on the Bible before a court should he be held to a standard of misleading investigators or the American public, only then after he has sworn on the Bible under oath before a formal proceeding. I think we demand much, much more than that from our elected leaders. I yield back the balance of my time.