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Analysis of Obituaries of Republicans Who Voted on Nixon Impeachment Has a Brutal Lesson for Today's Republicans
29 January 2020
Alex Wong/Getty Images // Hulton Archive/Getty Images
If you've been following the impeachment inquiry and subsequent Senate trial of President Donald Trump, you've heard lawmakers remind viewers that Trump's impeachment—the third ever impeachment of a U.S. president—is historic.
Now, a new article from Just Security is proving them right by bringing up headlines from the obituaries of Nixon-era politicians.
<p><a href="https://amzn.to/2t84gpM" target="_blank">Republican former President Richard Nixon</a> was never officially impeached. The House of Representatives opened an impeachment inquiry and the House Judiciary Committee—including a third of its Republicans—voted in favor of three articles of impeachment against him.</p><p>Before the articles could go to the House floor for a vote, Republican lawmakers told Nixon that his impeachment and conviction were an inevitability and pressured him to design, which he ultimately did.</p><p><strong>Though Nixon resigned before his official impeachment, the moment defined many of the lawmakers who oversaw it when they passed away decades later, as indicated by their obituary headlines:</strong></p><p><div data-conversation-spotlight=""></div></p><blockquote><em>"Former Rep. Joseph Maraziti, 78, Defender of Nixon on Watergate" <br>"Wiley Mayne; House GOP Member Who Voted Not to Impeach Nixon" <br>"Sandman, Nixon Supporter, Dies" <br>"Lawrence J. Hogan Sr., Md. Republican Who Called for Nixon's impeachment, Dies at 88"<br>"M. Caldwell Butler, a Key Vote Against Nixon, Dies at 89" <br>"R. McClory; Backed Nixon's Impeachment" <br>"Thomas Railsback, Congressman Who Broke with GOP to Back Nixon Impeachment, Dies."<br>"Charles Wiggins, 72, Dies; Led Nixon's Defense in Hearings"<br></em></blockquote><p>Senators will soon face a critical vote on whether or not to allow a debate to hear witnesses and whether or not to subpoena firsthand witnesses like former National Security Advisor John Bolton, who recently made explosive allegations against the President in an <a href="https://amzn.to/2RV8ucM" target="_blank">upcoming memoir</a>.</p><p>While most Republican Senators are staunchly against hearing additional witnesses, some Republicans—like Senators Mitt Romney (UT) and Susan Collins (ME)—are signaling a vote in favor.</p><p><strong>The vote could prove as consequential to their legacy as it was for Republicans in the time of Nixon.</strong></p>
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</p><div id="9c8ee" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="KB5XGW1580335895"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1222627041473789953" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">The stain will never leave their family names.
Ever. https://t.co/OIB84zOqlK</div> — Lincoln's Bible (@Lincoln's Bible)<a href="https://twitter.com/LincolnsBible/statuses/1222627041473789953">1580331976.0</a></blockquote></div>
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</p><div id="f9e1d" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="AU6UKI1580335895"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1222637036961701888" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">All the perfumes of Arabia cannot sweeten their little hands and here we go again.... https://t.co/9UBrnfZWq4</div> — Fresh Hell (@Fresh Hell)<a href="https://twitter.com/twinklepop1/statuses/1222637036961701888">1580334359.0</a></blockquote></div>
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</p><div id="0c9e9" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="WAIBAG1580335895"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1222604600555057160" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">History has its eyes on you, Senators. https://t.co/e9r4J7Ak5j</div> — Indivisible MN-03 (@Indivisible MN-03)<a href="https://twitter.com/IndivisibleMN03/statuses/1222604600555057160">1580326626.0</a></blockquote></div>
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</p><div id="4cbaf" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="UPUR3R1580335895"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1222636300412436480" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">#GOPSenators what is yours going to say about you ? https://t.co/Qn7LEuoSax</div> — John Reese (@John Reese)<a href="https://twitter.com/Jgr98019/statuses/1222636300412436480">1580334184.0</a></blockquote></div>
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</p><div id="ec233" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="RFIYK31580335895"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1222636374102290434" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">.@SenatorBurr @SenThomTillis
Think how you want to be remembered. Think about it now.
Because your day to choose i… https://t.co/4Kddhb6N4z</div> — David Foulser (@David Foulser)<a href="https://twitter.com/dfoulser/statuses/1222636374102290434">1580334201.0</a></blockquote></div>
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</p><div id="7b19d" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="LS2JWH1580335895"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1222635433592606721" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">History will note.... https://t.co/eZh1iTBROG</div> — Amanda Weaver (@Amanda Weaver)<a href="https://twitter.com/AWeaverWrites/statuses/1222635433592606721">1580333977.0</a></blockquote></div>
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</p><div id="d56b5" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="CX8YNL1580335896"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1222638128873320451" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">GOP Senators ought to take note:
How they vote on whether to allow witnesses into the trial and whether to acquit… https://t.co/mEz3RQnFk1</div> — Defend American Democracy (@Defend American Democracy)<a href="https://twitter.com/NoOneIsAboveLaw/statuses/1222638128873320451">1580334620.0</a></blockquote></div>
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</p><div id="f796c" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="W15DC21580335896"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1222637533584154629" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">@LindseyGrahamSC @senrobportman @tedcruz @RandPaul Share this with your colleagues. Just in case you’re thinking th… https://t.co/MWuKICxeoH</div> — Lynne Matlack (@Lynne Matlack)<a href="https://twitter.com/lynne_matlack/statuses/1222637533584154629">1580334478.0</a></blockquote></div>
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<p>Senators have a day and a half left of questioning the House impeachment managers and the President's defense team. A vote on whether to proceed in the effort to hear from witnesses is expected Friday.</p>
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