This Day in Legal History: House Judiciary Committee Impeachment Hearings on Nixon
On May 9, 1974, the House Judiciary Committee officially opened its impeachment hearings against President Richard Nixon, marking a critical escalation in the fallout from the Watergate scandal. Chaired by Representative Peter Rodino of New Jersey, the committee convened to determine whether Nixon had committed impeachable offenses in connection with the break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters and the subsequent cover-up. The hearings were a culmination of mounting political and public pressure following revelations from investigative journalism, court proceedings, and the Senate Watergate Committee.
The proceedings were televised, drawing intense national attention as Americans witnessed, in real time, a constitutional reckoning with executive misconduct. Over several weeks, the committee heard testimony and reviewed evidence, including the now-infamous White House tapes that revealed Nixon’s attempts to obstruct justice. The hearings underscored the seriousness of Congress's oversight powers and the weight of constitutional accountability.
On July 30, 1974, the committee approved three articles of impeachment against Nixon—obstruction of justice, abuse of power, and contempt of Congress. These charges reflected a broad consensus that Nixon had violated his oath of office and undermined democratic institutions. Faced with certain impeachment in the House and likely conviction in the Senate, Nixon resigned on August 8, 1974, becoming the only U.S. president to do so.
Chairman Rodino, a previously low-profile legislator, rose to national prominence for his steady leadership during the crisis. His role in navigating the deeply partisan and constitutionally fraught process earned bipartisan respect. Rodino continued to serve in Congress until 1989 and passed away in 2005 at the age of 95.
David Souter, a former U.S. Supreme Court Justice appointed by President George H.W. Bush, died at age 85 at his home in New Hampshire. Though expected to be a reliable conservative, Souter surprised many by siding with the Court’s liberal wing on major issues, including abortion rights, separation of church and state, and gay rights. He co-authored the pivotal 1992 opinion that upheld Roe v. Wade, warning that overturning it would damage the Court’s legitimacy—a view later overruled by a more conservative bench. Souter also opposed the death penalty in cases involving intellectual disability and supported judicial limits on executive and legislative overreach.
His 19-year tenure was marked by independence and restraint, and he became a symbol of the unpredictability of judicial behavior. Critics on the right, angered by his rulings, coined the phrase “no more Souters,” prompting future Republican administrations to more rigorously vet nominees. Souter dissented in the controversial Bush v. Gore case and opposed school vouchers and government endorsement of religion, including public prayer and Ten Commandments displays. He played a quiet but significant role in defending detainee rights during the post-9/11 legal battles.
A New England native and Rhodes Scholar, Souter was known for his minimalist lifestyle, distaste for technology, and preference for solitude. He never married, avoided Washington society, and retired early to return to a quiet life in New Hampshire, where he pursued historical scholarship and occasional judicial service.
David Souter, Bush Supreme Court Pick Who Joined Liberals, Dies
Former US Supreme Court Justice Souter dies, court says | Reuters
In his ongoing quest to staff the government with people he’s seen on cable news, Donald Trump has named Fox News host Jeanine Pirro as acting U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia—the nation’s top prosecutor in its most politically sensitive jurisdiction. Pirro, a former New York district attorney better known recently for her TV courtroom theatrics and 2020 election denialism, replaces controversial pick Ed Martin, who was pulled after Senate Republicans raised eyebrows about, among other things, his unapologetic defense of Jan. 6 rioters.
Announcing the switch on Truth Social, Trump hailed Pirro as “incredibly well qualified,” citing her time as a prosecutor—though most Americans probably know her from The Five, not from the courthouse. Pirro’s name, notably, appeared in Dominion Voting Systems’ defamation lawsuit over 2020 election falsehoods—a suit Fox settled for $787.5 million. But hey, if you’re a regular on his favorite network and say nice things about him, that’s apparently the gold standard.
Martin, meanwhile, didn’t exactly get benched. Trump reassigned him to be pardon attorney, associate deputy attorney general, and head of a new “Weaponization Working Group,” which seems tailor-made to investigate Trump’s political enemies under the guise of justice reform.
Pirro joins a growing list of Trump-era appointees whose primary qualifications include screen time on Fox News. With Pete Hegseth and Sean Duffy already in the administration, it’s clear the only law school that matters to Trump is the University of Primetime Opinion.
Fox Host Jeanine Pirro Tapped as Top Acting D.C. Prosecutor (2)
A federal judge in Vermont will hold a bail hearing Friday for Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish doctoral student at Tufts University, who’s been held in immigration detention for over six weeks. Rather than wait for the Trump administration to comply with an earlier court order to bring her back to Vermont from Louisiana, Judge William Sessions ruled she can appear remotely. Ozturk was arrested in Massachusetts in March, shortly after co-authoring a pro-Palestinian op-ed in the campus newspaper—a move her lawyers argue triggered her detention.
The case has become a flashpoint in Trump’s push to deport pro-Palestinian activists, particularly those affiliated with U.S. universities. After being shuffled between states, Ozturk’s lawyers challenged her ongoing detention as unlawful, especially since she was in Vermont when her legal challenge began. The 2nd Circuit had just granted the administration an extension to transfer her by May 14, but Ozturk’s legal team argued that waiting another week could worsen her health, citing a series of escalating asthma attacks in custody.
The government protested that Friday’s hearing might conflict with the appeals court’s timeline, but the judge seemed more persuaded by the urgency of Ozturk’s condition. Her lawyers, including those from the ACLU, say the delay is unnecessary and harmful.
US judge to weigh releasing detained Tufts student on Friday | Reuters
This week’s closing theme takes us back to the vibrant world of North German Baroque with a short, spirited gem from Dietrich Buxtehude—Canzonetta in C major, BuxWV 225. Buxtehude, who died on May 9, 1707, was one of the most influential organists and composers of his time, best known today for the impact he had on the young J.S. Bach, who famously walked over 250 miles to Lübeck just to hear him play. Though much of Buxtehude’s output was liturgical or improvisatory in nature, the Canzonetta is a delightful exception—playful, nimble, and full of personality.
Written for keyboard, this short piece showcases Buxtehude’s knack for rhythm and counterpoint without the weightiness of a fugue or choral fantasy. The Canzonetta format itself—essentially a lighter cousin of the canzona—offers him room to experiment with melodic interplay and bright harmonic shifts, all in under four minutes. It feels less like a stern organ master at work and more like a clever musical mind having a bit of fun with form and phrasing.
The piece is brisk but unhurried, ornate without being fussy. It’s exactly the kind of music that hints at the roots of later Baroque developments, particularly in how themes are traded between voices and playfully developed. In its buoyancy and wit, Canzonetta, BuxWV 225 reminds us that even in the sacred-heavy world of 17th-century North German music, there was space for charm and cheer. As we wrap this week, it’s a fine reminder of Buxtehude’s range—and why his influence has echoed so far beyond the centuries he lived in.
Without further ado, Dietrich Buxtehude—Canzonetta in C major. Enjoy!
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