answersLogoWhite

0


Best Answer

President Nixon was never impeached.

Nixon resigned on August 9, 1974, after the US Supreme Court decided he could not withhold taped conversations about the Watergate break-in under the protection of Executive Privilege. The Court stated the tapes did not include state secrets and were needed as evidence in the federal investigation, so the justices ordered the President to give the tapes to Leon Jaworski, the Special Prosecutor. The Court further held the constitutional rights of the men under investigation superseded the President's wish to keep the information secret.

The House of Representatives was preparing to file Articles of Impeachment against the President, but Nixon knew the content of the tapes would reveal he had knowledge of the conspiracy and participated in the cover-up, both legitimate grounds for impeachment (his actions would fit the description of "high crimes and misdemeanors").

Most likely, Nixon would have been impeached, convicted, and removed from office if he hadn't resigned first. The resignation allowed him to avoid giving testimony before Congress and allowed his successor, President Gerald Ford, to issue a pardon so Nixon didn't face criminal charges.

The irony of the entire situation was that Nixon won a landslide victory in the 1972 presidential elections.

User Avatar

Wiki User

8y ago
This answer is:
User Avatar
More answers
User Avatar

Wiki User

8y ago

No. President Nixon was never impeached. He resigned from office in August 1974 before the House of Representatives had an opportunity to impeach him.

More Information

Nixon resigned on August 9, 1974, after the US Supreme Court decided he could not withhold taped conversations about the Watergate break-in under the protection of Executive Privilege. The Court stated the tapes did not include state secrets and were needed as evidence in the federal investigation, so the justices ordered the President to give the tapes to Leon Jaworski, the Special Prosecutor. The Court further held the constitutional rights of the men under investigation superseded the President's wish to keep the information secret.

The House of Representatives was preparing to file Articles of Impeachment against the President, but Nixon knew the content of the tapes would reveal he had knowledge of the conspiracy and participated in the cover-up, both legitimate grounds for impeachment (his actions would fit the description of "high crimes and misdemeanors").

Most likely, Nixon would have been impeached, convicted, and removed from office if he hadn't resigned first. The resignation allowed him to avoid giving testimony before Congress and allowed his successor, President Gerald Ford, to issue a pardon so Nixon didn't face criminal charges.

As per the situations of presidents Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton, the idea of a conviction of a sitting president was unthinkable in terms of US government public relations.

This answer is:
User Avatar

Add your answer:

Earn +20 pts
Q: Why was President Nixon impeached?
Write your answer...
Submit
Still have questions?
magnify glass
imp
Continue Learning about General History

Who was the president who got impeached due to Watergate?

Nixon resigned as president due to Watergate while facing the threat of impeachment. He was not actually impeached.


Who was the only US President to be impeached?

There have been 2 Presidents Impeached in the U.S. history. The 17th president Andrew Johnson was impeached by the House of Representatives in 1868 for violation of the Tenure in Office Act of 1867. However, the Senate was one vote short of convicting Johnson. The 42nd president Bill Clinton was impeached in 1998 by the House for perjury and obstruction of justice. As with Johnson, the Senate could not come up with the two-thirds majority to convict Clinton. President Nixon was not impeached. While the House issued articles of impeachment for bribery, obstruction of justice, illegal wiretapping, and bribery Nixon resigned the Presidency before the House voted for impeachment. Most certainly had he not resigned he would have been impeached.


Was President Nixon impeached as a result of the Watergate scandal?

Yes. President Nixon was impeached. However, we first must define impeachment. Impeachment is the trial that Nixon went through. He was found guilty (obviously guilty) and was therefore impeached. After he was found guilty there were discussions on whether to "fire" him from his job as president but Nixon quit before anything could happen. He therefore was able to keep the benefits that any former president would have and (sort of but not really) save face.


Was Richard Nixon impeached?

no


What year was US President Nixon almost impeached in?

In 1974, a vote to impeach Richard Nixon for the Watergate scandal looked like it would be successful. Nixon resigned, making Gerald Ford the President of the United States. Ford then issued a blanket pardon for Nixon, which prevented a likely criminal indictment of Nixon.

Related questions

Did President Richard Nixon ever impeached?

He resigned before he could be impeached because of the Watergate break in. Ford became President and pardoned Nixon soon after taking office.


How can the President get fired?

The President can be impeached. After Abraham Lincoln was assassinated his vice President (Andrew Johnson) was impeached. Also Nixon was impeached


Was President Nixon was impeached by congress?

In 1974 Nixon resigned because of the Watergate Scandal.


What president nearly impeached for Watergate?

Richard Nixon


Who was the last president to be impeached?

Bill ClintonBill Clinton was the last U.S. President to be impeached. The House impeached him, but the Senate did not remove him from office.


Which committee in the house of representatives recommended that president Nixon be impeached?

The House Judiciary Committee recommended President Richard Nixon be impeached in February of 1974. President Nixon resigned before the Articles of Impeachment were voted on.


Who are the two that were impeached?

President Andrew Johnson and President Bill Clinton were both impeached. President Richard Nixon was supposed to be impeached, but he stepped down from office before the official impeachment, so technically he wasn't impeached.


US Presidents impeached?

Presidents Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton were impeached and both were later acquitted. Richard Nixon almost got impeached but resigned before.


Who was the president who got impeached due to Watergate?

Nixon resigned as president due to Watergate while facing the threat of impeachment. He was not actually impeached.


Was Nixon impeached during the pentagon papers?

President Nixon was never impeached. He resigned because there were enough votes to impeach him. Bill Clinton and Andrew Johnson were the only Presidents to be impeached and both were acquitted.


Was Gerald Ford impeached?

Ford was not impeached. He became president after Nixon was forced out of office due largely to the Watergate cover up. Nixon was was facing impeachment process but resign prior.


Why wasn't President Richard M Nixon Impeached?

Articles for the impeachment of Richard M. Nixon were filed. He resigned before certain impeachment occurred.