Scene VI. Washington, D.C. the Capitol.

[Enter Peter Rodino, the House Judiciary Committee and James St. Clair.]
Rodino. An impeachment inquiry must be impartial
and factual and just. We must take all
the evidence and look at it most wise.
1st Represent Throw the bum out, I say.
2nd Represent You have no grounds, I say. 5
1st Represent Oh, yeah?
2nd Represent Yeah!
Rodino. See hear, brother Democrat, and you
Republican. Hold your tongues ‘til
debate time rolls around. ‘Tis what this 10
Committee is for. And what do you want,
Mr. St. Clair?
St. Clair. To represent my client.
3rd Represent This is a Committee hearing, not
a trial. We’re impeaching the Man. 15
Why must you get in the way?
St. Clair. To ensure that President Nixon gets
a fair defense before the eyes of
the nation. Besides, Andrew Johnson had
a lawyer at his House hearings. 20
Rodino. Very well. You may be present, you may
ask questions, but you will not be allowed
to help write the minority report
or make any procedural suggestions.
St. Clair. That is what I had in mind. 25
[Exit St. Clair.]
3rd Represent A Committee of Impeachment. An awesome thing.
2nd Represent Aye, used but once before in most of
two hundred years. And then ‘twas a political
circus of ideological hatred
against a helpless Andrew Johnson. 30
I see a parallel. Poor Johnson was
acquitted by one brave vote. Methinks Nixon’s
margin of safety is much larger.
1st Represent I disagree on all points of your speech.
For this impeachment is criminal and 35
we’ve a good chance of conviction.
2nd Represent We shall see. We shall see.
Rodino. Impeachment, brothers, is a grave and
constitutional thing. No meager task.
We, the House Committee on the 40
Judiciary, have been authorized
to investigate and bring forth a report
concerning the President’s participation
in “treason, bribery, and other high
crimes and misdemeanors.” 45
Our report, brothers, will be definitive.
It will either tell the Congress that
Richard M. Nixon has committed
an impeachable offense, or he has not.
The full House will then debate and vote. 50
And if, a mighty if, it’s for impeachment
he will be tried in the Senate. Come, brothers,
we’ve a lot to do, much evidence
to consider. And the first thing we’ll do
is vote to subpoena all the 55
Presidential tapes, for that, my brothers,
is where the truth lies, on those tapes.
All in favor, say “Aye.”
Representatives “Aye!”
Rodino. Opposed? Measure carried. We’ll have the truth 60
shortly enough.
[Exeunt.]