Http:// Presentation by Robert Martinez Primary Content Source: America’s.

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Presentation by Robert MartinezPrimary Content Source: America’s History, Sixth Ed. Henretta, Brody and Dumenil.Images as cited.

WatergateWatergateScandalScandal

On June 17, 1972, five men carrying On June 17, 1972, five men carrying wiretapping equipment were arrested wiretapping equipment were arrested breaking into the Democratic National breaking into the Democratic National

CommitteeCommittee’’s headquarters located in the s headquarters located in the Watergate ComplexWatergate Complex in Washington D.C. in Washington D.C.

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Watergate BurglarsWatergate Burglars

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Questioned by the press, the White Questioned by the press, the White House dismissed the incident as House dismissed the incident as ““a a

third-rate burglary attempt.third-rate burglary attempt.”” Pressed further, Pressed further, PresidentPresident NixonNixon himself denied any White House himself denied any White House

involvement.involvement.

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In fact, G. Gordon Liddy & E. In fact, G. Gordon Liddy & E. Howard Hunt, were former FBI and Howard Hunt, were former FBI and CIA agents currently working for CIA agents currently working for

NixonNixon’’s Committee to Re-elect the s Committee to Re-elect the President. Their job was to protect President. Their job was to protect the Nixon administration, anyway the Nixon administration, anyway

necessary, legal or not.necessary, legal or not.

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Hunt and Libby had arranged for the Hunt and Libby had arranged for the illegal wiretaps (listening devices) illegal wiretaps (listening devices) at the Democratic headquarters, at the Democratic headquarters,

part of their campaign of part of their campaign of ‘‘dirty trickdirty trickss ’’ against the rival Democratic against the rival Democratic

party.party.

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The Watergate incident was not an The Watergate incident was not an isolated incident. It was part of a isolated incident. It was part of a pattern of illegality and misuse of pattern of illegality and misuse of power by a paranoid and ruthless power by a paranoid and ruthless

White House. White House.

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Nixon could have dissociated Nixon could have dissociated himself from the break-in by himself from the break-in by

dismissing his guilty aides, but it dismissing his guilty aides, but it was election time. Fearful of bad was election time. Fearful of bad

press, he arranged press, he arranged hush moneyhush money for for the burglars and instructedthe burglars and instructed thethe CIA CIA

to stop the FBI investigation.to stop the FBI investigation.

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Ordering the CIA to stop the FBI Ordering the CIA to stop the FBI from investigating the Watergate from investigating the Watergate incident was an incident was an obstruction of obstruction of justicejustice, a criminal offense., a criminal offense.

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Nixon managed to keep the lid on Nixon managed to keep the lid on the incident until after his re-the incident until after his re-

election, but eventually the lid blew election, but eventually the lid blew off due to congressional off due to congressional

investigations.investigations.

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In January 1973, the Watergate In January 1973, the Watergate burglars were found guilty. One of burglars were found guilty. One of them began to talk about his White them began to talk about his White House connections. House connections.

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In the meantime, two reporters at In the meantime, two reporters at the the Washington PostWashington Post, , Carl BernsteinCarl Bernstein and and Bob WoodwardBob Woodward, uncovered the , uncovered the

CommitteeCommittee’’s to Re-elects illegal s to Re-elects illegal ““slush fundslush fund’’ and its links to key and its links to key

White House aides.White House aides.

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The The slush fundslush fund received its money received its money illegally from the campaign illegally from the campaign

contributions of the Republican contributions of the Republican party to finance party to finance ““mischiefmischief”” against against anyone that posed a threat to the anyone that posed a threat to the

Nixon administration.Nixon administration.

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In May, a Senate committee began In May, a Senate committee began holding nationally televised holding nationally televised hearings, at which it was hearings, at which it was discovered that the Watergate discovered that the Watergate break-in was linked to the White break-in was linked to the White House.House.

Attorney General John Mitchell,controlled secret “slush fund.”

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The guilty White House officials The guilty White House officials implicated President Nixon. During implicated President Nixon. During the testimony, it was discovered the testimony, it was discovered that Nixon had installed a that Nixon had installed a secret secret taping systemtaping system in the Oval office. in the Oval office.

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Claiming Claiming executive privilegeexecutive privilege, Nixon , Nixon refused to surrender the White House refused to surrender the White House tapes. Under enormous pressure, he tapes. Under enormous pressure, he

eventually released some of the tapes. eventually released some of the tapes. One of the tapes was suspiciously One of the tapes was suspiciously missing 18-minutes of recording.missing 18-minutes of recording.

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Finally on June 23, 1974, the Finally on June 23, 1974, the Supreme Court ordered Nixon to Supreme Court ordered Nixon to

releaserelease the unaltered tapes. the unaltered tapes. Lawyers were shocked to find Lawyers were shocked to find

concrete evidence that the concrete evidence that the president had orderedpresident had ordered the cover-up the cover-up

of the Watergate break-inof the Watergate break-in..

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By then, the House of By then, the House of Representatives had began to Representatives had began to consider consider articles of impeachmentarticles of impeachment, , to remove the president from office.to remove the president from office.

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Certain that he would be convicted Certain that he would be convicted by the Senate, on August 9, 1974, by the Senate, on August 9, 1974,

Nixon became the first U.S. Nixon became the first U.S. president to president to resignresign from office. from office.

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Gerald Ford swears in as President of the United States.

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The next day, Vice President The next day, Vice President Gerald FordGerald Ford was sworn in as president. Congressman was sworn in as president. Congressman Ford had replaced Vice President Spiro Ford had replaced Vice President Spiro

Agnew, who had himself resigned in 1973 Agnew, who had himself resigned in 1973 for accepting for accepting ““kickbackskickbacks”” while governor while governor

of Maryland.of Maryland.

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A month later, Ford stunned the A month later, Ford stunned the nation by granting Nixon a nation by granting Nixon a ““full, full,

free, and absolute free, and absolute ““pardonpardon”” for all for all offenses he had committed or might offenses he had committed or might

have committed during his have committed during his presidency.presidency.””

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President Ford took that action, he President Ford took that action, he said, to spare the country the said, to spare the country the

agony of Nixonagony of Nixon’’s criminal s criminal prosecution. He felt the country prosecution. He felt the country

needed to move on.needed to move on.

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In Moscow, puzzled Soviets leaders could In Moscow, puzzled Soviets leaders could not understand, how a powerful not understand, how a powerful

president could be forced to resign, president could be forced to resign, because of what they viewed as a minor because of what they viewed as a minor

offense.offense.

President Nixon shaking hands with Soviet Premier Brezhnev.

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Soviet history knew no parallel. Soviet history knew no parallel. That was one lesson of Watergate – That was one lesson of Watergate –

that, in America, the rule of law that, in America, the rule of law prevailed.prevailed. No one is above the lawNo one is above the law, ,

not even the president.not even the president.

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A second lesson involved the A second lesson involved the constitutional constitutional separation of powersseparation of powers. As . As

commander-in-chief, Nixon asserted commander-in-chief, Nixon asserted unlimited authority, excusing his unlimited authority, excusing his

wiretapping. The president does not have wiretapping. The president does not have absolute power due to absolute power due to checks & balanceschecks & balances. .

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Congress pushed back against the Congress pushed back against the abuses of the Nixon administration, abuses of the Nixon administration, passing the passing the War Powers ActWar Powers Act (1973), (1973), limiting the presidentlimiting the president’’s ability to s ability to deploy U.S. forces without deploy U.S. forces without congressional approval.congressional approval.

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Congress passed the Congress passed the Freedom of Freedom of Information ActInformation Act (1974), protecting (1974), protecting

privacy and access to federal privacy and access to federal records, and the records, and the Fair Campaign Fair Campaign

Practices ActPractices Act (1974), limiting and (1974), limiting and regulating contributions in regulating contributions in

presidential campaigns.presidential campaigns.

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Lastly, Congress passed the Lastly, Congress passed the Federal Intelligence Surveillance Federal Intelligence Surveillance ActAct (1978), prohibiting domestic (1978), prohibiting domestic wiretapping without a warrant.wiretapping without a warrant.

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