1. Watergate
Chapter 24: Section 2

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”

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

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