WatergateWatergate

President Richard Nixon's involvement in President Richard Nixon's involvement in the Watergate scandal forces him to the Watergate scandal forces him to

resign from office.resign from office.(Corresponds to 24.2)(Corresponds to 24.2)

Basic Information Basic Information

This was a chain of political scandals This was a chain of political scandals between 1972 and 1974.between 1972 and 1974.““Watergate” comes from the Watergate Watergate” comes from the Watergate Hotel in Washington, D.C.Hotel in Washington, D.C.Involved the Nixon administration and Involved the Nixon administration and President Nixon himself.President Nixon himself.

ScandalScandal

June 17, 1972 Burglary occurs at the Watergate June 17, 1972 Burglary occurs at the Watergate hotelhotel

Burglars broke into the Democratic National Burglars broke into the Democratic National Committee officesCommittee offices

Security guard Frank Wills caught the burglarsSecurity guard Frank Wills caught the burglars

Burglars were anti-Castro Cuban refugees and Burglars were anti-Castro Cuban refugees and former FBI & CIA agentsformer FBI & CIA agents

Frank WillsFrank Wills

If it wasn’t for him If it wasn’t for him the burglary may the burglary may have never been have never been stoppedstopped

Wills’s security log Wills’s security log the night of the the night of the incidents is rightincidents is right

ScandalScandal

The night of the burglary five men arrested The night of the burglary five men arrested

Two other men arrested that eveningTwo other men arrested that evening

All seven men tried & convicted in Jan 1973All seven men tried & convicted in Jan 1973

All were directly or indirectly employees of All were directly or indirectly employees of Nixon’s re-election committeeNixon’s re-election committee

The SevenThe Seven

Bernard BakerBernard Baker– Former CIA operative, was involved with Bay of PigsFormer CIA operative, was involved with Bay of Pigs

Virgilio GonzalesVirgilio Gonzales– Miami locksmith, Cuban refugeeMiami locksmith, Cuban refugee

James McCordJames McCord– Security co-worker for the Committee to Re-Elect the Security co-worker for the Committee to Re-Elect the

Presdient (CREP) & former FBI & CIA agentPresdient (CREP) & former FBI & CIA agent

Eugenio MatinezEugenio Matinez– CIA connections and was anti-Castro Cuban ExileCIA connections and was anti-Castro Cuban Exile

Frank SturgisFrank Sturgis– CIA connections and involved in anti-Castro activitiesCIA connections and involved in anti-Castro activities

The SevenThe Seven

Gordon LiddyGordon Liddy– Former FBI agent & White House stafferFormer FBI agent & White House staffer– Refused to answer questions about the Refused to answer questions about the

burglary – was firedburglary – was fired

Howard HuntHoward Hunt– Former White House staffer & former CIA Former White House staffer & former CIA

employeeemployee– Worked to declassify the Pentagon PapersWorked to declassify the Pentagon Papers

The Investigation BeginsThe Investigation Begins

Judge John Sirica presides over burglars' trialJudge John Sirica presides over burglars' trialBurglar leader James McCord says lied under Burglar leader James McCord says lied under oath - says advisers involvedoath - says advisers involvedWhite House Counsel John says Nixon involved White House Counsel John says Nixon involved in cover-upin cover-upNixon dismisses DeanNixon dismisses DeanSenator Samuel J. Ervin heads investigative Senator Samuel J. Ervin heads investigative committeecommitteeAlexander Butterfield says Nixon tapes Alexander Butterfield says Nixon tapes presidential conversationspresidential conversations

The InvestigationThe Investigation

Investigation highly influenced by mediaInvestigation highly influenced by mediaTwo Two Washington PostWashington Post reporters at the reporters at the forefront:forefront:–Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein.Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein.Woodword & Bernstein received all info Woodword & Bernstein received all info from an anonymous informant - “deep from an anonymous informant - “deep throat”throat”Committee discovered secret tape Committee discovered secret tape recordings leading to a legal battle b/w recordings leading to a legal battle b/w Congress & the President Congress & the President

The InvestigationThe Investigation

Bernstein & Woodward learned Bernstein & Woodward learned – That the burglars came from MiamiThat the burglars came from Miami– Wore surgical glovesWore surgical gloves– Carried thousands of dollars in cash Carried thousands of dollars in cash Bernstein & Woodward relied upon “deep throat”Bernstein & Woodward relied upon “deep throat”

Bernstein learned that a $25,000 check for Bernstein learned that a $25,000 check for Nixon’s re-election had been deposited in Nixon’s re-election had been deposited in a banking account of one of the burglarsa banking account of one of the burglars

““Deep Throat”Deep Throat”31-year FBI agent31-year FBI agent

Some stories were half fictional and half truth.Some stories were half fictional and half truth.

Felt’s identity was one of the best kept secretsFelt’s identity was one of the best kept secrets

Identity was revealed in 2005 - 30 years after Identity was revealed in 2005 - 30 years after the burglarythe burglary

Felt is now 91 years oldFelt is now 91 years old

Saturday Night MassacreSaturday Night Massacre

October 20, 1973October 20, 1973Prosecutor Archibald Cox subpoenaed tapesProsecutor Archibald Cox subpoenaed tapes– Nixon refusesNixon refusesNixon orders the firing of CoxNixon orders the firing of Cox– Attorney General Elliot Richardson refuses; Attorney General Elliot Richardson refuses;

resignsresigns– Deputy A.G. William Ruckelshaus refuses; Deputy A.G. William Ruckelshaus refuses;

resignsresigns– Solicitor General Robert Bork ordered; Solicitor General Robert Bork ordered;

compliescomplies

Nixon Reacts to WatergateNixon Reacts to Watergate

Nixon re-elected in November of 1973 Nixon re-elected in November of 1973

Nixon releases partial transcripts of the tapes on Nixon releases partial transcripts of the tapes on April 29, 1974April 29, 1974

Nixon’s Last DaysNixon’s Last Days

Judiciary Committee Judiciary Committee accepts 3 Articles of accepts 3 Articles of Impeachment Impeachment

Nixon ordered to release Nixon ordered to release tapes by the Supreme tapes by the Supreme CourtCourt– One tape the day after the One tape the day after the

break-in had an 18 minute break-in had an 18 minute gap…erasedgap…erased

August 9, 1974, Nixon August 9, 1974, Nixon resignsresigns

A Brief Timeline of EventsA Brief Timeline of Events

November 1968November 1968– Nixon wins presidencyNixon wins presidency

July 23, 1970July 23, 1970– Nixon approves a plan for expanding Nixon approves a plan for expanding

domestic intelligence-program for FBI, CIAdomestic intelligence-program for FBI, CIA

June 13, 1971June 13, 1971– New York Times publishes Pentagon PapersNew York Times publishes Pentagon Papers

A Brief Timeline of EventsA Brief Timeline of Events

June 17, 1972June 17, 1972

– 5 men arrested at 2:30 a.m. trying to bug the 5 men arrested at 2:30 a.m. trying to bug the offices of the Democratic National Committee offices of the Democratic National Committee at the Watergate hotel at the Watergate hotel

August 1, 1972August 1, 1972

– $25,000 cashier's check is discovered in the $25,000 cashier's check is discovered in the account of a Watergate burglaraccount of a Watergate burglar

A Brief Timeline of EventsA Brief Timeline of Events

November 11, 1972November 11, 1972

– Nixon re-elected with 60% of the voteNixon re-elected with 60% of the vote

January 30, 1973January 30, 1973

– Nixon aides G. Gordon Liddy and James W. Nixon aides G. Gordon Liddy and James W. McCord are convicted of conspiracy, burglary McCord are convicted of conspiracy, burglary and wiretappingand wiretapping

A Brief Timeline of EventsA Brief Timeline of EventsApril 30, 1973April 30, 1973

– White House staffers H.R. Haldeman, John Ehrlichman White House staffers H.R. Haldeman, John Ehrlichman & Attorney General Richard Kleindienst resign & Attorney General Richard Kleindienst resign

– White House counsel John Dean firedWhite House counsel John Dean fired

July 18, 1973July 18, 1973

– Nixon orders White House taping system disconnectedNixon orders White House taping system disconnected

July 23, 1973July 23, 1973

– Nixon refuses to turn over tape recordings to the SenateNixon refuses to turn over tape recordings to the Senate

October 1973 October 1973

– Saturday Night MassacreSaturday Night Massacre

A Brief Timeline of EventsA Brief Timeline of EventsApril 30, 1974April 30, 1974

– White House releases 1,200 pages of edited tape White House releases 1,200 pages of edited tape transcripts to the Judiciary Committeetranscripts to the Judiciary Committee

– Committee insists that they must have the tapes Committee insists that they must have the tapes themselvesthemselves

July 24, 1974July 24, 1974

– Supreme Court rules unanimously that Nixon must Supreme Court rules unanimously that Nixon must turn over the tapes of White House conversationsturn over the tapes of White House conversations

– Rejects the president’s claim of executive privilegeRejects the president’s claim of executive privilege

A Brief Timeline of EventsA Brief Timeline of EventsJuly 27, 1974July 27, 1974

– Judiciary Committee Judiciary Committee passes one of three passes one of three impeachment articlesimpeachment articles

August 8, 1974August 8, 1974

– Nixon is the only U.S. Nixon is the only U.S. president to resignpresident to resign

– V.P. Gerald Ford V.P. Gerald Ford assumes presidency assumes presidency

– Ford later pardons Ford later pardons Nixon of all chargesNixon of all charges