On May 10, 1972, Mr. Conyers introduced an impeachment resolution, H.R. Res. 976, against President Nixon. This resolution was also referred to the Judiciary Committee. Id. at 16,663.
On May 18, 1972, Mr. Conyers introduced his second resolution, H.R. Res. 989, calling for President Nixon's impeachment. The resolution was referred to the Judiciary Committee. Id. at 18,078.
On July 31, 1973, Mr. Drinan introduced an impeachment resolution, H.R. Res. 513. The resolution was referred to the Judiciary Committee. 119 Cong. Rec. 27,062 (1973).
On Oct. 23, 1973, following the Oct. 20 dismissal of Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox by President Richard M. Nixon, and the resignations of Attorney General Elliot Richardson and Assistant Attorney General William D. Ruckelshaus (the so called "Saturday Night Massacre"), numerous resolutions were offered by Members calling for impeachment, impeachment investigations, and the appointment of a special prosecutor. Speaker Carl Albert, of Oklahoma, referred these proposals either to the Committee on Rules or to the Committee on the Judiciary, depending upon the wording of each measure.
All of the resolutions directing the Committee on the Judiciary to investigate the President's conduct (H. Res. 644, H. Res. 645), or to investigate whether grounds for his impeachment existed (H. Res. 626, H. Res. 627, H. Res. 628, H. Res. 629, H. Res. 630, H. Res. 641, H. Res. 642), were referred by the Chair to the Committee on Rules, as were those measures calling for such inquiries by a select committee (H. Res. 637, H. Res. 646), or without designating a committee (H. Res. 636).
All of the resolutions directly calling for the impeachment (H. Res. 625, H. Res. 631, H. Res. 635, H. Res. 638, H. Res. 643, H. Res. 648, H. Res. 649), or censure (H. Con. Res. 365), of the President were referred by the Chair to the Committee on the Judiciary in view of that committee's long-standing historical jurisdiction over the subject matter. 119 Cong. Rec. 34,871-73 (1973)
On February 6, 1974, the House passed a resolution, H.R. Res. 803, giving the Judiciary Committee authority to investigate impeachment charges against President Nixon. 120 Cong. Rec. 2349-50, 2362-63 (1974).
on July 27, 29, and 30, 1974 the Committee on the Judiciary considered proposed articles of impeachment against President Nixon and adopted articles, as amended.
On August 9, 1974 the President resigned his office, submitting his written resignation to the office of the Secretary of State.
On August 20, 1974, Peter W. Rodino, Jr., of New Jersey, Chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary, submitted the committee report, H.R. Rep. No. 93-1305, to the House. The report recommended impeachment and included three articles for that purpose (1st. obstruction of justice, 2nd. abuse of power, and 3rd. contempt of Congress). 120 Cong. Rec. 29,219-361 (1974).
Speaker Carl Albert, of Oklahoma, ordered it referred to the House Calendar.
The House adopted without debate resolution, H. R. 1333, offered by Mr. Thomas P. O'Neill, Jr., of Massachusetts, under suspension of the rules, formally receiving the committee report and taking note of Nixon's resignation of April 9, 1974. Id. at 29,361-62.
H. Res. 1333
Resolved, That the House of Representatives
(1) takes notice that
(a) the House of Representatives, by House Resolution 803,
approved February 6, 1974, authorized and directed the Committee on
the Judiciary to investigate fully and completely whether
sufficient grounds existed for the House of Representatives to
exercise its constitutional power to impeach Richard M. Nixon,
President of the United States of America; and
(b) the Committee on the Judiciary, after conducting a full and
complete investigation pursuant to House Resolution 803, voted on
July 27, 29, and 30, 1974 to recommend Articles of impeachment
against Richard M. Nixon, President of the United States of
America; and
(c) Richard M. Nixon on August 9, 1974 resigned the Office of
President of the United States of America;
(2) accepts the report submitted by the Committee on the
Judiciary pursuant to House Resolution 803 (H. Rept. 93-1305) and
authorizes and directs that the said report, together with
supplemental, additional, separate, dissenting, minority,
individual and concurring views, be printed in full in the
Congressional Record and as a House Document; and
(3) commends the chairman and other members of the Committee on
the Judiciary for their conscientious and capable efforts in
carrying out the Committee's responsibilities under House
Resolution 803.
No further action was taken on the proposed impeachment of the President.
Additional sources:
Deschler's Precedents, Vol 3, Chap 14, Sec. 2.1
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/GPO-HPREC-DESCHLERS-V3/html/GPO-HPREC-DESCHLERS-V3-5-2-2.htm
Deschler's Precedents, Vol 3, Chap 14, Sec. 7.7
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/GPO-HPREC-DESCHLERS-V3/html/GPO-HPREC-DESCHLERS-V3-5-3-3.htm
Deschler's Precedents, Vol 4, Chap 17, Sec. 53.9
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/GPO-HPREC-DESCHLERS-V4/html/GPO-HPREC-DESCHLERS-V4-3-5-16.htm
There are two important differences between Nixon and Obama. First, Obama’s offenses are far more numerous and severe. Second, the House of Representatives had the will to exercise their power. This second difference makes all the difference.
We shot the impeachment wad on slick willy.
The Constitution provides a remedy for dealing with a lawless President like Barack 0bama, but the House and Senate don’t have the moral integrity or courage to use it.