Watergate Chapter 24: Section 2

The Imperial Presidency Power within the exec branch had become more concentrated since WWII Nixon ignored constitutional checks Impoundment of funds Invasion of Cambodia B/P shifted in favor of the presidency Became an “imperial” presidency Surrounded by “palace guard”

The Enemies List More than 200 individuals & 18 organiz’ns Nixon asked the FBI to spy on these individuals to discredit them. Also ordered the IRS to harass them with tax audits

The Huston Plan Nixon feared the antiwar movement could hurt him politically as it had LBJ. Wanted to silence his critics with Huston Plan to be run out of the White House Would infiltrate antiwar groups Open peoples’ mail Tap their phones Use harmful info to discredit or possibly blackmail them FBI chief, J. Edgar Hoover, blocked it because it would reduce the FBI’s power

CREEP Committee to Reelect the President Headed by John Mitchell Created slush fund Nixon worried that Repubs had failed to regain H&S Paranoid about elections Loss in 1960 to Kennedy Loss in 1962 to Brown for governor

The Plumbers CREEP created special investigation unit nicknamed the Plumbers to stop security leaks (Ellsberg) Broke into the DNC headquarters to keep abreast of Democratic strategy To photograph docs Bug the phones They were busted Later came out that the leader used to be a CIA operative & was currently security coordinator for CREEP

Unraveling Watergate Woodward & Bernstein discovered that the conspirators included G. Gordon Liddy & E. Howard Hunt – also worked for CREEP They were paid from slush fund More & more evidence uncovered showing that the break-in and cover up were directed by the pres’ advisors

The Watergate Trial John Sirica Letter from James McCord alleged that WH officials had lied about their involvement & pressured the defendants to plead guilty and stay silent

The Senate Hearings Senate began investigation Sam J. Ervin led the Committee on Presidential Campaign Practices Under pressure Nixon appointed special prosecutor, Archibald Cox, to investigate Watergate John Dean appears before the committee & testifies that there was cover up & the pres directed it Paul Butterfield reveals the tapes

The Tapes Nixon refused to hand them over citing exec privilege on the grounds that it would jeopardize nat’l security Cox demands that he turn over the tapes Saturday Night Massacre Leon Jaworski Supreme Court Gaps in the tapes

Move for Impeachment Impeachable offenses include criminal activity but are not limited to illegal activities. Tapes revealed that days after break-in the president ordered the CIA to halt the FBI investigation “Don’t go any further into this case” Impeachment seemed certain. 25 members of admin were convicted Pres resigned

The Aftermath Generated cynicism with gov War Powers Act and other laws to curb presidential abuses.