SFehronitle
Mansfield View
AUG 8.
1974
Plan Rejected
To Impeach Even
If Nixon Resigns
Washington
full purpose if he resigns."
House minority leader
House leaders yesterday
John
J. Rhodes (Rep-Ariz.)
rejected a proposal by Senate Majority Leader Mike said resignation would make
Mansfield (Dem-Mont.) that the impeachment issue moot
impeachment proceedings and that "no useful purpose
should continue even if Pres- would be served" by pressing impeachment further.
ident Nixon resigns.
Mansfield expressed this Representative John. B .
thought solely as his person- Anderson (Rep-111.) added:
al view "in order to lay it all "If he resigns we want to fill
out and get away from the t h e leadership vacuum.
idea that the President was What we need is reconciliation. We won't fail to take
being forced out" unjustly.
the lesson from this unfortuHouse Majority Leader nate experience."
Thomas P. O'Neill (DemRepresentative Barbara
Mass.) consulted with House Jord
Judiciary Committee Chair- ciaryan (Dem-Tex.) a Judiman Peter W . Rodin said Committee member,
(Dean-N.J.) and said both reco : "We've got to get the
would be opposed to such a somrd out. We owe posterity
move. O'Neill called it "ov- are ething — to say these
the offenses that drove
erkill."
him out of office." But she
If the President resigned did not insist that formal imand the House dropped the peachment proceedings
impeachment charges, that were required to do this.
would be the end of the matThe practical political conter because under the Con- sider
ations that are compelstitution the Senate could try
to leaders like O'Neill
the President only if the ling
that if the House continHouse sends it charges in a are
ued
with impeachment after
bill of impeachment.
the President resigned, it
House Republican leaders would split the House along
strongly opposed the Mans- partisan lines and make it
field plan on grounds that appear a needless lust for
resignation would render the blood.
impeachment issue moot
The House Judiciary Comand that what the country mittee recommende
d that
would need in such an event Mr. Nixon be impeache
would be reconcillatiOn not three counts — obst d on
ruction
recrimination.
of justice in the Watergate
Some membersof
o the coverup, misuse of federal
House Judiciary Committee, agencies to violate rights of
which worked for seven citizens, and defiance of
months on its impeachment committee subpoenas. With
inquiry, expressed strong the release of more damagviews that their record of ing tapes Monday, House
Mr. Nixon's offenses should support of the President has
be placed before the country virtually disappeared and
so he could not contend he impeachment, if he remains
had been unjustly hounded in office, is assured by an
overwhelming vote.
from office.
The House is scheduled to
Rodino took the view that
in case of resignation a begin the impeachment deproper ending of the inquiry bate on August 19 and comwould be to file with the plete it •within a week. YesHouse and release the com- terday, the House voted 385
mittee's report detailing the to 25 to permit live televievidence against the Presi- Sion coverage of the debate.
dent. Committee members
Most Republican members
could publicize the report by of the Judiciary Committee,
a series of speeches.
backed by Rhodes, asked
A Mansfield aide said the that total time for the deimpeachment process could bate be out to 20 hours. But
legally continue even if the Rodino insisted on the 35
President resigned because hours that a joint leadership
another penalty besides re- meeting agreed to on Tuesmoval from office automati- day.
Washington Post
cally flows from impeachment and conviction. That is
disqualification from ever
again holding federal office.
Rodino agreed that legally
the process could continue,
but stated his view that,
from a practical standpoint,
"We will have served the