Peter Rodino: Alumnus Championed the Constitution

The House Judiciary Committee chair’s nonpartisan conduct of the Watergate hearings ultimately led to President Richard Nixon’s resignation.

BY STEVE MANAS

It began with a so-called “third-rate burglary” The burglary of the Democratic National in June 1972, and ended a little more than two Committee (DNC) headquarters in Washing- years later when a powerful president resigned ton, D.C.’s Watergate office complex sparked in disgrace. a national crisis that dominated the halls of As the Watergate scandal unfolded, a career government, media, and Americans’ collective United States congressman—barely known psyche. It helped expose a deeply ingrained outside his Newark, New Jersey, district—pains- environment of corruption and political retribu- tion within Nixon’s presidency. “Chairman Rodino brought a balanced hand to the Ultimately, Rodino’s nonpartisan stewardship responsibility and was eminently fair. He wanted a of the Judiciary Committee led members from both political parties to adopt three articles of broad coalition to support the committee’s efforts impeachment against Nixon for obstruction and he didn’t indicate a [personal] position.” of justice, abuse of power, and contempt of Congress. —Paul S. Sarbanes, who served with Peter Rodino on the House Nixon resigned less than two weeks later. Judiciary Committee Rodino was widely praised for preserving consti- tutional law in our nation. takingly assembled the legal case that led to the Until Watergate, Rodino had been known downfall of Richard Nixon, 37th President of as a hard-working, effective member of Con- the United States. gress. Still, most of his tenure had been hardly U.S. Representative Peter W. Rodino Jr., remarkable. The son of Italian immigrants, he D-N.J., earned the nation’s trust for his dogged, earned a law degree from what is now Rutgers dispassionate pursuit of justice as chair of University–Newark, was a decorated Army the House Judiciary Committee, which was captain during World War II, and started his assigned to investigate articles of impeachment 40-year career in the U.S. House in 1949. against Nixon, a Republican, for “high crimes and misdemeanors” in violation of the U.S. Constitution. Peter Rodino, Gerald M. Pomper, Board of Governors “He was a great patriot, a soldier in World foreground, second professor of political science emeritus at Rutgers War II, and as a lawyer and legislator, loved from left, oversees University–New Brunswick’s Eagleton Institute the Constitution. It wasn’t personal animus a vote during House of Politics, devoted a chapter to the Newark toward Nixon. It was misdeeds like the Judiciary Committee native in his book, Ordinary Heroes and Ameri- Saturday Night Massacre.” hearings on can Democracy. “Nixon was trying to undermine Rodino was respected by colleagues but had Watergate. the Constitution and extend the powers of the received little public attention before Watergate. presidency to a near imperial, authoritarian Pomper observes: “Like many politicians, he government,” Pomper says. made reelection a priority as he worked on local Rodino’s committee confirmed multiple or individual matters for his base constituency, instances of wrongdoing—including illegal first, largely ‘Americans of Italian descent’ and wiretaps, attempts at bribery, payment of hush later, African Americans as his district’s demo- money, efforts to hinder government agencies, graphics changed. He contributed to important election campaign “dirty tricks,” stonewalling, 1960s civil rights legislation and served as the and cover-ups. The most infamous was the House floor manager for the landmark immi- Saturday Night Massacre, October 20, 1973. gration revision of 1965. He had cosponsored Nixon ordered the firing of Watergate indepen- a 1954 bill to add ‘under God’ to the Pledge of dent special prosecutor Archibald Cox. Attorney Allegiance. But aside from legislation to make General Elliot Richardson and Deputy Attorney Columbus Day a national holiday, no law bore General William Ruckelshaus refused to obey his name.” the order and resigned. But in 1972, Rodino’s seniority made “Rodino was personally very honest and him chair of the 38-member (21 Democrats, had great disdain for Nixon,” Pomper explains. fairness throughout the investigation, adding: “The team of 40 some lawyers assembled and assigned to conduct this inquiry perhaps make up the finest law firm in the United States.” In a transcript provided by William Ber- lin—a professor of political science and law at Montclair State University, who was researching a proposed biography when the former con- gressman died a month shy of 96 in 2005— Rodino says, “And I knew somehow I was going to be the focal point as a leader and that my conduct had to be, my behavior, my demeanor, my every word had to be such that I would not Members of the 17 Republicans) Judiciary Committee. Shortly in any way suggest any hint of partisanship, and media surround after assuming his new role, the committee if necessary, lean over backwards to consider the Rodino during the opened its impeachment inquiry. U.S. Repre- views of others.” House Judiciary sentative Paul S. Sarbanes, D-M.D., later a Rodino’s doggedness eventually led to a Committee hearings U.S. Senator from Maryland, was in only his six-day stay at Bethesda Naval Hospital for on Watergate. third year in the House when he served on exhaustion in February 1974. He found new Rodino’s committee. strength when one of his doctors told him, “Chairman Rodino brought a balanced hand “We need you.” to the responsibility and was eminently fair,” On July 24, 1974, Sarbanes was chosen to recalls Sarbanes. “He wanted a broad coalition introduce Article I of impeachment—charging to support the committee’s efforts and he didn’t the president with obstruction of justice for at- indicate a [personal] position.” tempting to cover up the DNC break-in. After Throughout the hearings, Rodino was three days of debate, Article I passed, 27–11. extremely conscious of his awesome responsibil- Six of the committee’s Republicans voted for ity as committee chair. “The chairman worked impeachment. night and day. He recognized the severity of the The Judiciary Committee eventually rec- issues,” Sarbanes says. “He faced tremendous ommended three articles of impeachment, but pressure but knew the importance of doing Nixon resigned on August 9, 1974, before the it right.” full House and Senate could consider them. To demonstrate his impartiality, Rodino After the first article of impeachment was chose John Doar, a Republican and former adopted, Rodino returned to the committee of- Justice Department civil rights attorney, as the fices, where he began to shake as tears streamed committee’s special counsel. He also allowed down his face. Weeping, he retreated to a the Republicans to appoint their choice as washroom and then to the counsel’s office where special counsel, Albert E. Jenner Jr., and agreed he called his wife. “I pray that we did the right to let James D. St. Clair, special counsel to the thing,” he reportedly said. “I hoped it didn’t president for Watergate, call witnesses before the have to be this way.” committee. U.S. Representative Hamilton Fish IV, a Republican from New York who eventually voted for impeachment, praises Rodino for his