1. The Watergate Crisis
Ch. 31
Sec. 2 Pp

2. Watergate
Nixon’s reelection committee wanted information about Democratic campaign plans
Authorized break-in of DNC headquarters to install “bugs”

3. A Third-Rate Burglary
June 1972 – Police arrest five men who had broken into Democratic Committee headquarters
2 “plumbers” (G. Gordon Liddy and E. Howard Hunt) were included
They were connected to White House and paid with White House funds
White House denied any involvement

4. Investigation
Woodward and Bernstein at Washington Post published articles linking break-in to Nixon
Judge Sirica oversaw trial
One burglar, James McCord, admitted the White House was involved
Bernstein and Woodward

5. A Scandal Unravels 1973 – Senate votes to hold hearings
Nixon fired John Dean, White House counsel, and forced aides H.R. Haldeman and John Ehrlichman to resign
Archibald Cox was appointed as special prosecutor to look into scandal
Sen. Baker and Sen. Ervin

6. Special Prosecutor for
A Scandal Unravels
Investigators learned that Nixon secretly taped conversations and demanded the tapes
Nixon refused and told attorney general and assistant attorney general to fire Cox, but they refused and resigned (Saturday Night Massacre)
Archibald Cox,
Special Prosecutor for
Watergate Scandal

7. Meanwhile, Justice Department charged Vice President Spiro Agnew with taking bribes while governor of Maryland
He resigns and Gerald Ford is appointed Vice President

8. The Crisis Deepens
House of Representatives began considering impeachment – the constitutional provision to remove a president from office
April 1974 – Nixon releases printed copies of some tapes, but they were edited
Court ordered him to turn over unedited tapes and Supreme Court upholds it

9. The Crisis Deepens
House Judiciary Committee adopted three articles of impeachment (obstruction of justice, abuse of power, contempt of Congress)
Nixon released tapes and they prove he ordered a cover-up

10. Nixon Resigns Aug. 8, 1974 – Nixon resigns
Gerald Ford becomes president and is first one never elected as Pres. or VP
Showed checks and balances work
Congress passed laws to prevent future abuses
Some lose faith in politics

11. A Time for Healing Ford pardoned Nixon, so he could not be prosecuted
Dec – we learned CIA had spied on Americans
1975 – FBI reveals they have secret files on citizens
Ford and Congress work on new laws and regulations for the agencies

12. Foreign Affairs/Troubled Economy
Inflation and unemployment remained high
Products from Europe and Japan began competing with US goods
Underemployment – people worked in jobs they were overqualified for
OPEC kept oil prices high
Relied on Kissinger
Agrees with Soviets to limit nuclear weapons
Helsinki Accords – pledged to respect human rights and civil liberties
Improved relations with China

13. Ford’s Response
Whip Inflation Now (WIN) – voluntary wage and price controls
Save money and plant food gardens
Wanted to cut government spending, so vetoed spending bills
Persuaded Congress to pass tax cut
Some improvement, larger deficits