The Impeachment of Richard Nixon:
I. Nixon was about to be impeached on three grounds:
  A. "authorized agencies within the government (FBI & IRS) to harass private citizens for his own political advantage;

B. established a secret investigative unit within the White House, the purpose of which was to engage in unlawful and covert activity against private citizens; and

C. used the power of his office to cover up theses abuses."«
 
 

 II. Impeachment was defined lawyers on the House Judiciary Committee as:
  A. "If the president attempts, either directly or indirectly, to induce a subordinate to engage in illegal activity;

B. if the president believes that some form of misconduct on the part of a subordinate within the executive branch has occurred and the president takes no action to correct it or even to respond to it properly;

C. if the president asks an official or assistant to take ethically questionable steps and does not supervise his or her activity; and

D. if a president does not oversee adequately the actions of his subordinates.
 

1. It is suggested in this latter case that a president is accountable for any misconduct even if it takes place without his immediate knowledge.« «