Contingency Planning

As John Dean's testimony spilled across the nation's television screens, few spectators watched with more anxious attention than the leaders of the House of Representatives, where, under the Constitution, any impeachment proceedings against the President of the U.S. must begin. Until Dean's appearance two weeks ago, the leaders of the House have steadfastly refused to contemplate the momentous question: How would they organize and deal with the horrifying and cataclysmic event of Richard Nixon's impeachment?

Reluctantly, privately, they concluded that that thinking and tentative planning must commence, reported TIME'S congressional correspondent Neil MacNeil, a 24-year veteran of Capitol Hill. Observing that Dean had not been shaken in his five days of devastating testimony, a House leader concluded that the real possibility of impeachment proceedings must be faced. Said he: "I don't see how we can avoid considering it."

Any day now, the leadership knows, a member may demand recognition and then offer that highest of privileged motions: the impeachment of the President. Already at least one Congressman, Democrat John Moss of California, has his staff at work on a dossier of alleged offenses that might warrant such action.

For now the House leaders' strategy in such a case would be to move to table an impeachment motion in order to give the leadership more time to weigh how to proceed. The motion could be referred to the Judiciary Committee, but the leaders would prefer a special select committee made up exclusively of lawyers in the House who would be men and women "beyond influence." Such a committee, should it ever be required, said one House leader last week, "must be simon-pure."