Wendy Sherman: “in 1973, the House Committee on the Judiciary concluded that it could not impeach Richard Nixon for tax perjury, even…”

“in 1973, the House Committee on the Judiciary concluded that it could not impeach Richard Nixon for tax perjury, even though Nixon fraudulently signed this 1969 tax return under penalty of perjury. It then established a precedent, with then Congressman Trent Lott concurring, that impeachment of the President is not warranted except for misconduct dangerous to the constitutional system. Some have erroneously claimed that the committee lacked sufficient factual evidence. I have distributed to all Members an exhaustive analysis of the 1974 hearings. The reason the Committee on the Judiciary rejected the tax article of impeachment against Nixon was set forth in 1975 by the very member of the House Committee on the Judiciary who authored the tax article. And he said, most opponents of the tax article felt that the willful tax evasion did not rise to a level of an impeachable offense requiring the removal of the President. Mr. Speaker, I would call this House a kangaroo court but that would be an insult to marsupials everywhere. Mr. Speaker, let me address the two issues that are on the minds of Americans today. As to our action in Iraq, the President is doing the right thing, at the right time, for the right reasons.…”