Watergate Impeachment Hearings House Judiciary Committee, July 29, 1974.
Watergate Impeachment Hearings House Judiciary Committee, July 29, 1974.
Watergate Impeachment Hearings House Judiciary Committee, July 29, 1974. Robert McClory (R Illinois). Will the gentleman yield to me? Henry Smith III (R New York). I will be happy to yield to the gentleman one minute. Peter Rodino (D New Jersey). The gentleman is recognized for one minute. Henry Smith III (R New York). One minute. Robert McClory (R Illinois). I thank the gentleman for yielding and in 1 minute. I would like to explain that while I voted against article 1, which was the vote that we took on the last Article that I intend to vote in favor of Article II. In my opinion there was no clear and convincing proof of any criminality or any conduct of the President which involved him as a co-conspirator, but the President does have a Constitutional oath and an obligation to see to the faithful execution of laws. And with multiple acts of misconduct, of illegality, of criminality being conducted in and around the White House by many of his top aides, it seems to me that the President has failed us in this take-care provision of the Constitution. While I bear no malice and no hostility to the President, it seems to me that I have an obligation myself as a member of this committee when I see the Constitutional obligation in default to support an Article of impeachment. I thank the gentleman. Peter Rodino (D New Jersey). The gentleman has 40 seconds remaining. Henry Smith III (R New York). Mr. Chairman, thank you very much. And I am sorry that my remarks, brief as they may have been, failed to sway my colleague from Illinois who sits on my right. And with that I yield back the balance of my time.