1. Nixon and the Watergate Scandal

2. “Installed for national security reasons”
Nixon was suspicious and secretive
Felt he was “surrounded by enemies”
The Enemies List – Nixon’s special counsel
helped to develop a list of prominent
people who were seen as “enemies” to the
Nixon administration
Included senators, reporters, comedians,
and actors
How to harass these White House enemies?
Tax investigations
Wiretaps: Nixon ordered listening devices to be installed on the telephones of his staff members and news reporters’ phones
“Installed for national security reasons”

3. Nixon’s Plumbers
Organized a special White House unit to stop government leaks – included former CIA and FBI agents
1971 – Daniel Ellsberg, a former Defense Dept. official gave the NY Times a secret study of the Vietnam War
The Pentagon Papers – showed that previous Presidents had deceived Congress and the American people about the real situation in Vietnam
Nixon was furious!
The Plumbers broke into Ellsberg’s psychiatrist’s office to find damaging info about his private life

4. CREEP Committee to Re-elect the President
H.R. Haldeman, John Ehrlichman, John Mitchell, and John Dean led group
Determined to ensure Nixon’s victory in the 1972 Presidential Election
Questionable tactics:
Created and leaked to media a fake letter attempting to discredit Edmund Muskie, leading Presidential contender and democratic senator from Maine
Sent hecklers to disrupt Democratic campaign meetings
Assigned spies to join and infiltrate campaigns of major candidates
These attempted sabotages on Nixon’s political opponents came to be known as “dirty tricks”

5. The Watergate Break-In
Wiretapping of phones at the Democratic National Committee Headquarters in the Watergate complex in Washington D.C.
First break in failed
Second Attempt: June 1972 – five men were arrested
Burglars carried money that the FBI traced back to CREEP
Thus tying the break-in to Nixon’s re-election
Nixon contacted the CIA telling them to persuade the FBI to stop its investigation on grounds of “national security”
Led to Nixon becoming a part of the illegal cover up = The Watergate Scandal

6. The 1972 Presidential Election
Nixon’s closest aides worked feverishly to keep the truth of the Watergate break-in hidden
The scandal did not come to light until after Nixon’s re-election
Nixon (Republican) against George McGovern (Democrat)
McGovern – Senator from South Dakota
520 electoral votes to 17 electoral votes
McGovern was unable to unify the democrats
Nixon wins the election by a landslide, but the congress looses its Republican Majority

7. The Watergate Trial
January Trial of the burglars began before Judge John J. Sirica
All defendants pleaded guilty or were found guilty
March 1973 – Nixon approved “hush money” to defendant E. Howard Hunt
To prompt burglars to talk, Sirica sentenced the burglars to long prison terms, up to 40 years
Their sentence could be reduced if they cooperated with the upcoming Senate Hearings on Watergate

8. Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities
James McCord, one of the burglars, agreed to testify to the committee in secret (suggested Nixon’s staff was involved)
Leaks from the committee got to the media – Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, Washington Post reporters extensively investigated the scandal
Nixon forced Haldeman and Ehrlichman to resign
John Dean, Nixon’s legal counselor, testified that Nixon knew about the cover-up
Other staff members described illegal activities at the White House as well
Secret taping system in the President’s Office that recorded all meetings and phone conversations revealed!

9. The Saturday Night Massacre
May 1973 – Nixon agreed to a special Watergate prosecutor
Worked for Justice Dept. but conducted his own, independent investigation
Archibald Cox – immediately asked for the tapes
Nixon refused and ordered Cox to be fired in Oct. 1973
Led to a series of resignation and firings at the White House

10. Administration crumbles
Public approval rating plummeted
“The President Should Resign”
Nixon released edited transcripts of the White House conversations – cut out the most damaging evidence
VP Spiro Agnew resigned – accused of income tax evasion and taking bribes
Nixon named House Minority Leader Gerald Ford as VP
Took two months for the Senate to confirm

11. Impeachment hearings begin
July 1974 – House Judiciary Committee began to hold hearings to see if there were adequate grounds for impeachment
Voted to begin impeachment on charges of obstruction of justice, abuse of power, and refusal to obey a congressional order to turn over the tapes
August 1974 – Nixon finally released tapes, with 18 ½ minutes missing
Tapes gave clear evidence Nixon was involved
August 9, 1974 – Nixon resigned and VP Gerald Ford sworn in