Hours after her dust-up with President Donald Trump at the White House Wednesday morning, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) told a liberal conference in Washington, D.C., that Trump may have committed an “impeachable offense” by “obstructing justice” and engaging in a “cover-up.” Pelosi, who has has been trying to tamp down impeachment fires being stoked by members of her Democrat House caucus, may have lit the impeachment bonfire with her comments.
Pelosi cited one of the impeachment articles against President Richard Nixon approved by the House Judiciary Committee in 1974. Nixon resigned before the full House voted on impeachment.
Pelosi spoke at the Center for American Progress 2019 Ideas Conference. The Hill posted a video clip of Pelosi’s impeachment comments.
Speaker Pelosi: "As they say, the cover-up is frequently worse than the crime." pic.twitter.com/q0mipkL4xJ
— The Hill (@thehill) May 22, 2019
Fox News posted quotes by Pelosi:
“The fact is, in plain sight, in the public domain, this president is obstructing justice and he’s engaged in a cover-up. And that could be an impeachable offense,” Pelosi told the audience, which broke out in applause.
“Ignoring the subpoenas of Congress was Article 3 of the Nixon Impeachment. So, it’s not just the substance that we are after, that we want to have to get the truth to the American people, but in striving to get that the intervention, the obstruction that the administration is engaged in is, as they say, the cover-up is frequently worse than the crime.”
“Let me just say, we take on oath of office, to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. Democrats take that oath seriously, and we are committed to honoring our oath of office. I’m not sure our Republican colleagues share that commitment, and I’m not sure the President of the United States does.”
End excerpt. Please read complete Fox News report at this link.
The text of Article 3 cited by Pelosi:
Article 3
In his conduct of the office of President of the United States, Richard M. Nixon, contrary to his oath faithfully to execute the office of President of the United States and, to the best of his ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States, and in violation of his constitutional duty to take care that the laws be faithfully executed, has failed without lawful cause or excuse to produce papers and things as directed by duly authorized subpoenas issued by the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives on April 11, 1974, May 15, 1974, May 30, 1974, and June 24, 1974, and willfully disobeyed such subpoenas. The subpoenaed papers and things were deemed necessary by the Committee in order to resolve by direct evidence fundamental, factual questions relating to Presidential direction, knowledge or approval of actions demonstrated by other evidence to be substantial grounds for impeachment of the President. In refusing to produce these papers and things Richard M. Nixon, substituting his judgment as to what materials were necessary for the inquiry, interposed the powers of the Presidency against the the lawful subpoenas of the House of Representatives, thereby assuming to himself functions and judgments necessary to the exercise of the sole power of impeachment vested by the Constitution in the House of Representatives.
In all of this, Richard M. Nixon has acted in a manner contrary to his trust as President and subversive of constitutional government, to the great prejudice of the cause of law and justice, and to the manifest injury of the people of the United States.
Wherefore, Richard M. Nixon, by such conduct, warrants impeachment and trial, and removal from office.
Adopted 21-17 by the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives.
Source: Watergate.info
Pelosi raises three fingers to illustrate her mention of Article 3.
