Charles Wiggins was not the lead Republican on the House
Judiciary Committee during Watergate. That belong to Ed Hutchinson of
Michigan. But Hutchinson, one of the few northern Republicans to oppose
the Civil Rights Act, was not thought highly by his peers and while
visible in his defense of Richard Nixon, often was forced to cede the
limelight to a very junior Californian with a sterling legal mind,
four-termer Charles Wiggins.
The Almanac of American
Politics said of Wiggins: he is one of the indisputable stars of the
House Judiciary Committee hearings on impeachment, and the only one on
the side that history records as wrong. But they accompanied that with
compliments. He argues every point ably, often eloquently, in perfectly
formed, and yet at the same time in easy, colloquial sentences
punctuated only occasionally and even then their meaning was clear. He
was not the top Republican on the post.
Wiggins actually
represented parts of Nixons Congressional district. The future President
was born in Yorba Linda, which was in the district, and grew up in
Whittier part of which was remained (Wiggins was from in El Monte). And
Wiggins, though a staunch defender at first would eventually serve as
the signal that for Nixon, the bottom had truly fallen out.
Even
as the counts were being debated, Wiggins told his colleagues, it does
not set forth with specific detail the alleged incidents. You leave the
respondent trying to figure out specifically what hes charged with, with
what he has to answer to. At first, he even defended Nixon for allegedly urging the CIA to tell the FBI to call off the investigation.Metal Repair Aluminum foil tape Products is also excellent for metal.
Wiggins
said the Presidents only guilt was withholding the tapes, but that he
was merely making a good faith claim to executive privilege.The LA Times
noted that Wiggins was a loyal Nixon supporter, especially during the
Watergate scandal,You Can Buy Various Improved PE protective film Products Products.
although the former president at first did not return the favor,
refusing to campaign for Wiggins during his first congressional bid.
Wiggins had won his seat against the odds, taking advantage of a strong
GOP year, despite the fact that Democrats had a voter enrollment edge in
the district.
When the Supreme Court ordered the Nixon
administration to release the smoking gun tapes of June 23, 1973, Nixons
lawyer James St. Clair and Al Haig, knowing of Wiggins strong legal
mind, asked him to come to the White House to read the transcript.
Wiggins counsel had been sought on so many occasions that hed later note
the guard didnt even ask for his id. The date was August 2, 1974.
Immediately
upon reading the transcripts,(he would do so a second time and a
third), Wiggins knew that salvaging Nixons Presidency was now an
impossibility. Wiggins advised Nixon to put it all out and ask for
forgiveness. Does he have another Checkers speech? He also
expressed his disappointment, saying the guys who stood by the President
were really led down the garden path, werent we, he asked.
He
noted that there was clearly a plan of actionto obstruct the Watergate
investigation (that) had been carried out.Wiggins continued: These facts
standing alone are legally sufficient in my opinion to sustain at least
one count against the president of conspiracy to obstruct justice. Such
a conclusion was a sad and personally wrenching one for me to reach,
because I regardedCand still do regardCmyself as a friend of the
president and his family and one still willing, proudly, to claim his
achievements, The magnificent career of public service of Richard Nixon
must be terminated involuntarily.
As a matter of how devastating
the Wiggins blow was, The New York Times headline read, Wiggins for
Impeachment; Others in G.O.P. Join Him.Three days later, Nixon announced
his resignation.But Nixon would show no malice. His first political
appearance following his resignation was to be at a fundraiser for
Wiggins in 1976. But shortly before, Nixons wife Pat suffered a stroke,
forcing him to pull out.
Wiggins was the one Nixon defender on
the Judiciary Committee who faced little political recriminations. He
won re-election with 58% and two years later with 59%. Wiggins retired
in 1978 and was appointed a Circuit judge by Ronald Reagan. He upheld
the Dont Ask/Dont Tell policy. But when the Clinton impeachment matter
came up, Wiggins recommended lawmakers not back it, saying the evidence
was too vague.
One day before the verdict was due in the sexual
assault and harassment case against former Zionist Orthodox yeshiva head
Rabbi Mordechai Elon, the Zionist Orthodox news website Kippa released
an audio recording made last year but never before published in which
another senior Zionist Orthodox rabbi alleges that the charges brought
against Elon are mild compared to what Elon actually did, the Times of
Israel reported.
Rabbi Yaakov Ariel heard the more
severe allegations several years ago as part of the Zionist Orthodox
Takana Forum, which hears cases of alleged clergy abuse and deals with
them internally or by involving police. Takana originally publicized the
allegations against Elon after it first failed to properly involve
police.
Elons alleged victims and their families and
supporters have been harassed by Elons supporters and by Elons powerful,
politically connected family. Israel police have done nothing to stop
this.In February one of the two alleged victims for the charges being
tried abruptly refused to testify against his former teacher.
In
the newly released audio recording, Ariel says that Elon admitted to
Takana that he committed a series of indecent acts with some of his
young students.The bottom line is that he admitted to the facts, Ariel
said.Solutions is batch tested to insure the EMI material Products.If
we dont stop these acts there will be more victims. The trial doesnt
interest me; I wont be happy if hes found guilty and I wont cry if hes
exonerated.
The recording was made last year and was not
supposed to be released, Ariel said, only in case it became necessary to
stop Elon from committing more abuse. He told Army Radio that the
unauthorized release of the recording is a a travesty.
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