Nixon and Nixon and WatergateWatergate

The Election of 1968The Election of 1968

Nixon campaigned as a Nixon campaigned as a champion of the "champion of the "silent silent majoritymajority," the ," the hardworking Americans hardworking Americans who paid taxes, did not who paid taxes, did not demonstrate, and desired demonstrate, and desired a restoration of "law and a restoration of "law and order.”order.”

He vowed to restore He vowed to restore respect for the rule of law, respect for the rule of law, reconstitute the stature of reconstitute the stature of America, dispose of America, dispose of ineffectual social ineffectual social programs, and provide programs, and provide strong leadership to end strong leadership to end the turmoil of the 1960's. the turmoil of the 1960's.

What was What was Watergate?Watergate?

The scandal occurred The scandal occurred when the Republicans when the Republicans were caught spying on were caught spying on the Democrats at the the Democrats at the Democratic Democratic HeadquartersHeadquarters

Watergate was one Watergate was one of the largest of the largest political scandals in political scandals in the history of the the history of the United StatesUnited States

Watergate became a major scandal when President Nixon lied about his role in the

break-in and tried to cover it up

Roots of WatergateRoots of WatergateWhen the When the New York Times New York Times and and Washington Washington PostPost began to publish the Pentagon Papers, began to publish the Pentagon Papers,

the Nixon Administration sued them.the Nixon Administration sued them.New York Times Co. v. United States (1971)New York Times Co. v. United States (1971)

It was Richard Nixon’s It was Richard Nixon’s paranoia that his paranoia that his enemies wanted to enemies wanted to ruin his presidency ruin his presidency that was at the root that was at the root of the Watergate of the Watergate scandalscandal

Howard HuntHoward Hunt G. Gordon LiddyG. Gordon LiddyJames McCordJames McCord Chuck ColsonChuck Colson

After the release of the Pentagon Papers, After the release of the Pentagon Papers, the White House created a unit to ensure the White House created a unit to ensure

internal security. internal security.

This unit was called the “Plumbers” This unit was called the “Plumbers” because they were put in charge of because they were put in charge of stopping information “leaks”.stopping information “leaks”.

The Watergate Break-inThe Watergate Break-in When initial polls showed When initial polls showed

Nixon slightly behind in the Nixon slightly behind in the Election of 1972, the Plumbers Election of 1972, the Plumbers turned their activities to turned their activities to political espionage.political espionage.

On 17 June 1972, 5 men were On 17 June 1972, 5 men were arrested while attempting to arrested while attempting to bug the headquarters of the bug the headquarters of the Democratic Party inside the Democratic Party inside the Watergate building in Watergate building in Washington D.C. Washington D.C.

One of the men arrested, One of the men arrested, James McCord, was the head of James McCord, was the head of security for the Republican security for the Republican Party. Party.

The Nixon campaign denied The Nixon campaign denied any involvement.any involvement.

The Washington The Washington Post Post

Watergate came to public attention largely through Watergate came to public attention largely through the work of Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, the work of Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein,

investigative reporters from the investigative reporters from the Washington PostWashington Post

Watergate Enters the Nixon Watergate Enters the Nixon CampaignCampaign

The break-in was The break-in was eventually tied to eventually tied to the Nixon the Nixon reelection reelection campaign through campaign through a $25,000 check a $25,000 check from a Republican from a Republican donor that was donor that was laundered through laundered through a Mexican bank a Mexican bank and deposited in and deposited in the account of the account of Watergate burglar Watergate burglar Bernard Barker. Bernard Barker.

The Election of 1972The Election of 1972

Despite the growing stain of Watergate, which had Despite the growing stain of Watergate, which had not yet reached the President, Nixon won by the not yet reached the President, Nixon won by the largest margin in history to that point.largest margin in history to that point.

Watergate Watergate InvestigationsInvestigations

In March 1973, defendant In March 1973, defendant James McCord informed Judge James McCord informed Judge John Sirica that Watergate was John Sirica that Watergate was a conspiracya conspiracy

Sirica’s investigation Sirica’s investigation transformed Watergate transformed Watergate from a “from a “third-ratethird-rate burglary” burglary” to a major scandal.to a major scandal.

Congressional Congressional HearingsHearings

May 1973: Congress began hearings to May 1973: Congress began hearings to investigate the scandal and found that Nixon’s investigate the scandal and found that Nixon’s Former Attorney General, John Mitchell, , head Former Attorney General, John Mitchell, , head

of Nixon’s “Committee to Re-Elect the of Nixon’s “Committee to Re-Elect the President,” (CREEP) controlled a fund to pay President,” (CREEP) controlled a fund to pay

for espionage operationsfor espionage operations

Congressional Congressional HearingsHearingsThe hearings were The hearings were

televised in their televised in their entirety. entirety.

They focused on when They focused on when the President knew of the President knew of the break-in. the break-in.

In June 1973, former In June 1973, former White House legal White House legal counsel John Dean counsel John Dean delivered devastating delivered devastating testimony that testimony that implicated Nixon from implicated Nixon from the earliest days of the earliest days of Watergate.Watergate.

The Oval Office The Oval Office TapesTapes

In an effort to discredit Dean’s testimony, the White In an effort to discredit Dean’s testimony, the White House announced that Nixon had secretly been House announced that Nixon had secretly been

tape-recording conversations. These tapes would tape-recording conversations. These tapes would become the focus of the investigation.become the focus of the investigation.

When the Supreme Court forced Nixon When the Supreme Court forced Nixon to surrender the tapes, he refused to surrender the tapes, he refused

invoking “executive invoking “executive privilege”privilege”

The Saturday Night The Saturday Night Massacre Massacre The Administration reached The Administration reached

an agreement with the an agreement with the Senate Watergate Senate Watergate Committee that its Chairman Committee that its Chairman would be allowed to listen to would be allowed to listen to tapes and provide a tapes and provide a transcript to the Committee transcript to the Committee and to Special Prosecutor and to Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox. Archibald Cox.

The deal broke down when The deal broke down when Cox refused to accept the Cox refused to accept the transcripts in place of the transcripts in place of the tapes. tapes.

Since the Special Prosecutor Since the Special Prosecutor is an employee of the Justice is an employee of the Justice Department, Nixon ordered Department, Nixon ordered Attorney General Elliot Attorney General Elliot Richardson to fire Cox. Richardson to fire Cox.

Archibald Cox

The Saturday Night The Saturday Night MassacreMassacre

When Richardson refused, he was fired. When Richardson refused, he was fired. Nixon ordered Deputy Attorney General William Nixon ordered Deputy Attorney General William

D. Ruckelshaus to fire Cox.D. Ruckelshaus to fire Cox. When he refused, he was fired. When he refused, he was fired. Nixon then ordered Solicitor General Robert Nixon then ordered Solicitor General Robert

Bork to fire Cox and he complied.Bork to fire Cox and he complied. The The Washington PostWashington Post reported on the “Saturday reported on the “Saturday

Night Massacre.”Night Massacre.”

The Oval Office The Oval Office TapesTapes

On October 23, 1973 Nixon agreed to turn On October 23, 1973 Nixon agreed to turn over White House tape recordings requested over White House tape recordings requested by the Watergate special prosecutor to by the Watergate special prosecutor to Judge Sirica.Judge Sirica.

Nixon was implicated Nixon was implicated from the earliest days from the earliest days of the cover-up:of the cover-up: authorizing the payment authorizing the payment

of hush moneyof hush money attempting to use the attempting to use the

CIA to interfere with the CIA to interfere with the FBI investigation. FBI investigation.

One tape has an 18 ½ One tape has an 18 ½ minute gap. minute gap.

Nixon’s secretary Nixon’s secretary Rosemary Woods Rosemary Woods demonstrated how she demonstrated how she could have could have inadvertently erased inadvertently erased the tape, but no one the tape, but no one bought it. bought it.

Nixon’s Final DaysNixon’s Final Days

On July 27, 1974, the House Judiciary Committee On July 27, 1974, the House Judiciary Committee approved Articles of Impeachment against approved Articles of Impeachment against Nixon. The House was set to vote on the matter. Nixon. The House was set to vote on the matter.

Nixon’s Final DaysNixon’s Final Days

On August 5, 1974, when the “smoking gun tape” On August 5, 1974, when the “smoking gun tape” became public, Nixon was told that the Senate was became public, Nixon was told that the Senate was going to find him guilty of impeachment chargesgoing to find him guilty of impeachment charges

On August 9, 1974, Richard Nixon became the first American president to resign

Aftermath of Aftermath of WatergateWatergate

Gerald Ford became the 38Gerald Ford became the 38thth president. president. Over 30 government officials went to prison. Over 30 government officials went to prison. In September 1974, Ford pardoned Nixon.In September 1974, Ford pardoned Nixon.A pardon is when someone is forgiven of a crime and released from the A pardon is when someone is forgiven of a crime and released from the

penalty of the crimepenalty of the crime

Ford pardoned Nixon to save the nation the shame of Ford pardoned Nixon to save the nation the shame of having a president found guilty of a federal crime having a president found guilty of a federal crime

Watergate’s Watergate’s LegacyLegacy

For the first time in U.S. History, a For the first time in U.S. History, a president is forced to resign.president is forced to resign.

There was a public distrust of the There was a public distrust of the government that continues to this day.government that continues to this day.

It was damaging to U.S. status in world It was damaging to U.S. status in world affairsaffairs