The Watergate Scandal Unit 4 Section 3 Part 4

A. The Election of 1972 Nixon’s first term as president was ending Nixon’s first term as president was ending He wanted to make sure he got reelected He wanted to make sure he got reelected At times during his presidency he had sent some of his people to spy on political enemies At times during his presidency he had sent some of his people to spy on political enemies In 1972, Nixon and his people hatched a plan to break into the Dem. National HQ’s at the Watergate Hotel-office complex in D.C. In 1972, Nixon and his people hatched a plan to break into the Dem. National HQ’s at the Watergate Hotel-office complex in D.C. They were supposed to plant listening devices in the offices They were supposed to plant listening devices in the offices -trying to uncover any strategy that might be used against him in the upcoming election -trying to uncover any strategy that might be used against him in the upcoming election

B. The Break-In Nixon’s people broke into Watergate on June 17, 1972 Nixon’s people broke into Watergate on June 17, 1972 A hotel security guard name Frank Wills noticed something wrong and called the police A hotel security guard name Frank Wills noticed something wrong and called the police The police showed up and caught the burglars in the act The police showed up and caught the burglars in the act No one knew they were sent by Nixon No one knew they were sent by Nixon The break in made the papers, but only in a small story The break in made the papers, but only in a small story

C. Woodward and Bernstein Two young reporters for the Washington Post began to investigate Two young reporters for the Washington Post began to investigate -Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein -Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein -They began to uncover facts linking the burglars to the White House -They began to uncover facts linking the burglars to the White House -They were receiving information from an anonymous source they nicknamed Deepthroat -They were receiving information from an anonymous source they nicknamed Deepthroat -Deepthroat revealed names of people involved in covering up the break-in -Deepthroat revealed names of people involved in covering up the break-in By October, the Post was reporting that the Watergate break-in was part of a spying effort by the Nixon campaign By October, the Post was reporting that the Watergate break-in was part of a spying effort by the Nixon campaign Still, Nixon got reelected in 1972, which shows that it still wasn’t a big deal Still, Nixon got reelected in 1972, which shows that it still wasn’t a big deal

D. The Scandal Unfolds In February, 1973, 7 of the burglars went on trial In February, 1973, 7 of the burglars went on trial Among them were people that worked on Nixon’s campaign Among them were people that worked on Nixon’s campaign Many began to question whether Nixon knew about it Many began to question whether Nixon knew about it Nixon fired three of his top officials in order to look tough on crime Nixon fired three of his top officials in order to look tough on crime Democrats thought that he should hire an independent investigator Democrats thought that he should hire an independent investigator He hired Archibald Cox, a Harvard Professor, to investigate He hired Archibald Cox, a Harvard Professor, to investigate

E. Butterfield’s Bombshell A Senate committee began its own investigation A Senate committee began its own investigation They held televised hearings, in which millions of viewers tuned in They held televised hearings, in which millions of viewers tuned in On one such hearing, former presidential aide Alexander Butterfield was questioned On one such hearing, former presidential aide Alexander Butterfield was questioned Butterfield said that since 1971, Nixon had tape-recorded all conversations in his offices Butterfield said that since 1971, Nixon had tape-recorded all conversations in his offices People began to wonder if these tapes might reveal any information on the Watergate break-in People began to wonder if these tapes might reveal any information on the Watergate break-in

F. The Saturday Night Massacre Nixon refused to give up any tape recordings Nixon refused to give up any tape recordings He argued executive privilege He argued executive privilege -president must be able to keep official conversations and meetings private -president must be able to keep official conversations and meetings private Investigators claimed that executive privilege did not apply in this case Investigators claimed that executive privilege did not apply in this case Special prosecutor Cox issued a subpoena for Nixon to bring the tapes to court Special prosecutor Cox issued a subpoena for Nixon to bring the tapes to court Nixon ordered the A.G. Elliot Richardson to fire Cox Nixon ordered the A.G. Elliot Richardson to fire Cox Richardson resigned, so Nixon ordered Richardson’s assistant to fire Cox Richardson resigned, so Nixon ordered Richardson’s assistant to fire Cox He refused and also resigned He refused and also resigned The 3 rd man in line finally fired Cox The 3 rd man in line finally fired Cox

The Watergate Scandal Concludes Unit 4 Section 3 Part 3

A. The Crisis Continues People were stunned by Nixon’s actions in Saturday Night Massacre People were stunned by Nixon’s actions in Saturday Night Massacre His innocence seemed in doubt His innocence seemed in doubt Nixon continued to delay the release of the tapes Nixon continued to delay the release of the tapes Nixon also informed people that 18 minutes of the tapes had been inexplicably erased Nixon also informed people that 18 minutes of the tapes had been inexplicably erased Nixon released a transcript of parts of the tapes Nixon released a transcript of parts of the tapes The pages seemed to contain evidence of knowledge of the break-in The pages seemed to contain evidence of knowledge of the break-in Some evidence pointed to the fact that the president involved in covering up break-in Some evidence pointed to the fact that the president involved in covering up break-in Transcripts did not satisfy prosecutors, they continued to push for the release of the tapes Transcripts did not satisfy prosecutors, they continued to push for the release of the tapes

B. Nixon Resigns Supreme Court ruled Nixon had to give up tapes Supreme Court ruled Nixon had to give up tapes The House judiciary committee voted to impeach Nixon The House judiciary committee voted to impeach Nixon Reasons for impeachment included obstruction of justice Reasons for impeachment included obstruction of justice Nixon knew his support was thin, must have known tapes would incriminate him Nixon knew his support was thin, must have known tapes would incriminate him On August, 1974, Nixon resigned from office On August, 1974, Nixon resigned from office It was also discovered that Nixon’s VP Spiro Agnew had taken bribes and cheating on his taxes It was also discovered that Nixon’s VP Spiro Agnew had taken bribes and cheating on his taxes he also resigned he also resigned Gerald Ford, the Rep. leader in the House of Reps took over the Presidency Gerald Ford, the Rep. leader in the House of Reps took over the Presidency

C. Gerald Ford Nixon, though resigned still faced a trial and possibly jail Nixon, though resigned still faced a trial and possibly jail The American public anxiously awaited Nixon’s trial The American public anxiously awaited Nixon’s trial Less than a month after taking office, Gerald Ford shocks the nation by pardoning Nixon of all crimes Less than a month after taking office, Gerald Ford shocks the nation by pardoning Nixon of all crimes Americans were outraged Americans were outraged Some believed that Nixon may have cut a deal with Ford, though that was never proven Some believed that Nixon may have cut a deal with Ford, though that was never proven

D. Ford as President Ford a Republican pres. With a democrat-controlled congress Ford a Republican pres. With a democrat-controlled congress Ford faced serious issues Ford faced serious issues The Country experiencing bad inflation The Country experiencing bad inflation Ford attempts to send aid to South Vietnamese as North Vietnam prepared to invade Ford attempts to send aid to South Vietnamese as North Vietnam prepared to invade Actually helped 250,000 S. Vietnamese escape Actually helped 250,000 S. Vietnamese escape Still, many distrusted him and by the time of the next election, he faced a serious threat Still, many distrusted him and by the time of the next election, he faced a serious threat