Page
Nixon may lobby for
Five
speedy vote,
WASHINGTON (UPI)--Presi-
dent Nixon is considering asking
Republican House members to
vote unanimously on his im-
peachment without debate in
order to get a prompt trial if
necessary in the Senate, White
House spokespersons said yes-
terday.
The aides said Nixon itis
made no decision.
SEVERAL leading House Re-
publicans spoke out against the
move. "That's a cop-out and
I'm against it," said Rep. David
Dennis (R-Ind.), one of the
President's strongest supporters
on the House Judiciary Com-
mittee.
He said most of the 10 Re-
publicans on the Judiciary Com-
mittee who voted every time
against impeachment felt the
same way.
Patrick Buchanan, the Presi-
dent's chief speech writer, first
revealed that Nixon was con-
sidering the idea. He said the
reason behind such a move
would be to "net it over with
prompt trial
quickly" in the House and if
impeached give him chance to
prove his innocence in the
Senate.
LATER, D e p u t y Secretary
Gerald Warren said the White
House is "aware of the ati-
tudes reflected by members of
the House of Representatives"
and "we are also aware that
this is a dynamic situation" in
which support for the President
was not as strong as it had been
in the past.
Joining in GOP opposition to
any such move, Rep. Robe-t
McClory (R-Ill.), second rank-
ing Republican on the Judiciarv
Committee, called the proposal
"very offensive . . . and de-
meaning for members :.f the
House to acquiesce in that
strategy."
"None of us want to see the
House Republicans put in a
very difficult position, espeial-
ly if the likelihood is not great
that we will prevail" in keeping
the House from impeaching
Nixon. he said.
Bomby day in Windy City
Police officers search the Chicago Board of Tr ade yesterday after receiving a bomb threat.
Although no explosives were found, trading was halted for more than an hour. Perhaps the
threat was telephoned in by an irate stockholder hoping to curb the market's downward trend.
Smeeken
in his ow
LANSING (UPI)-State Rep.
John Smeekens will testify on
his own behalf tomorrow on
charges he faked travel expense
vouchers that cost taxpayers
over $400.
Smeekens, through his ator-
ney James Starr, said yesterday
he will appear before a House
committee investigating alleged
expense fraud and conflicts of
interest. Starr said the C.ld-
water Republican will "testify
fully regarding the travel
vouchers."
"We will also be prepared to
discuss the conflict of interest
charge growing out of Rep.
Smeekens testimony before the
Air Pollution Control Commis-
sion," Starr added.
SMEEKENS is accused of
billing both the foundry and the
state for at least two trips to
Washington last year.
One set of vouchers showed
that Smeekens was allegedly in
Washington on state business
while at the same time in Chi-
cago on foundry business.
He is also charged with ap-
pearing on behalf of the Hills-
dale Foundry before the com-
mission last year while a secret
foundry employe.
Smeekens testified in support
of a 60-day delay for the foun-
dry in the commission's order
to clean up or go out of busi-
ness.
THE EXTENSION was grant-
ed and the foundry is stilt in
operation. A new pollution-tree
foundry is currently under con-
struction in Litchfield. Accord-
ing to the foundry's president
Elgin Saylor, Smeekens was in-
strumental in obtaining govern-
ment and private loans to build
the new foundry.
A joint House-Senate commit-
tee has already ruled that
Smeekens was probably :n con-
flict of interest in his dealings
with the foundry.
In the hearing of the House
committee T u es d a y, Starr
charged the investigation was
s to testify
n defense "eS
being pressured into becoming with
a "kangaroo court" by the news the
media, Smeekens' peers and the
public.
INTEGRITY
Judqes must
demonstrate integrity
i not only in the court
< LY room, but also in the
election campaign
and in personal
attairs
~ FOR
DISTRIC T
JUDGE
Po.Adv
HE REPEATEDLY threaten-
ed to walk out of the proceed-
ings.
Starr said yesterday he told
Smeekens, who did not appear
Tuesday, that he "thought the
committee was really going to
try to be fair about the whole
proposition."
"He was very pleased and
said of course he would want
to come and testify on Friday,"
Starr said. "I think that we'll
be able to displace a lot of the
rumors. We will be able to show
no conflict of interest existed."
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