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PR
Nixon makes his choice
tempt by the White House to
a deal, the committee
strike
WASHINGTON — PresiTh'ursclay to slap
last
voted
dent Nixon's refusal to voluntarily turn over tapes and a subpena on Nixon for the
documents to the House Ju- doCuments it had been seekdiciary Committee's im- ing for 45 days — tapes, dicpeachment investigation last
week gave the clearest indi- tahelts, transcripts and logs
cation yet pf his long-range of some 41. conversations
strategy to avoid being having to do with Waterhounded out of office by a gate.
vote of two-thirds of the SenIf Nixon talks, the Judiciate.
ary Committee can do little
Simply stated, the issue is as far. as securing the matethis: Ile will fight im- rials is concerned.
peachment on the grounds of
If Nixon ignores a concontempt of Congress and
not on the issue of whether tempt citation, however, the
or not he helped to obstruct committee can include conjustice in the Watergate cov- tempt of Congress as an impeachable offense.
er-up.
Chicago Sun-Times
Despite a last-minute at-
It Is evident Nixon be-
lieves he can survive in office if contempt is the issue
rather that the evidence on
the tapes.
According to some Republicans, both senators and
congressmen, Nixon may be
thinking along the following
tines: The committee will
probably vote articles of impeachment. including contempt of the House. The full
House may or may not buy
this argument, but if it does.
the Senate will reject it.
One leading Republican on
Judiciary privately put it
may be on
this way:
the right track. The Senate
already holds the limbo in
cooempt inn differetit welt),
anyhow."
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