It's been 40 years since Richard Nixon became the only U.S. President to resign from office.
William Cohen was a freshman Congressman from Maine's second district when he voted for Articles of Impeachment against Nixon.
For his efforts Cohen says he was branded a traitor to the Republican Party by many.
Cohen says in 1974 the Judiciary Committee worked in a serious and bipartisan way. But he doubts that would happen in today's "partisan and poisonous" political climate.
Cohen also says politicians today take the idea of impeaching a president far too lightly.
And he says he has changed his views about whether President Gerald Ford's pardon of Richard Nixon was the right thing to do.
Cohen spoke with NEWS CENTER's Pat Callaghan about the tumultuous political events of four decades ago.
