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Watergate Watergate ScandalScandal

On June 17, 1972, five On June 17, 1972, five men carrying wiretapping men carrying wiretapping equipment were arrested equipment were arrested

breaking into the breaking into the Democratic National Democratic National

CommitteeCommittee’’s s headquarters located in headquarters located in the Watergate Complex the Watergate Complex

in Washington D.C.in Washington D.C.

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It all started when…It all started when…

Watergate BurglarsWatergate Burglars

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Questioned by the Questioned by the press, the White House press, the White House dismissed the incident dismissed the incident

as as ““a third-rate a third-rate burglary attempt.burglary attempt.””

Pressed further, Pressed further, President Nixon President Nixon

himself denied any himself denied any White House White House involvement.involvement.

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Whitehouse ResponseWhitehouse Response

In fact, G. Gordon Liddy & In fact, G. Gordon Liddy & E. Howard Hunt, were E. Howard Hunt, were

former FBI and CIA agents former FBI and CIA agents currently working for Nixocurrently working for Nixonn’’s Committee to Re-elect s Committee to Re-elect

the President. Their job was the President. Their job was to protect the Nixon to protect the Nixon

administration, anyway administration, anyway necessary, legal or not.necessary, legal or not.

Howard Hunt

G. Gordon Liddy

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In RealityIn Reality

Hunt and Libby had Hunt and Libby had arranged for the arranged for the illegal wiretaps illegal wiretaps

(listening devices) at (listening devices) at the Democratic the Democratic

headquarters, part headquarters, part of their campaign of of their campaign of ‘‘dirty tricksdirty tricks’’ against against

the rival the rival Democratic party.Democratic party.

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The Watergate The Watergate incident was not an incident was not an isolated incident. It isolated incident. It

was part of a was part of a pattern of illegality pattern of illegality

and misuse of and misuse of power by a power by a

paranoid and paranoid and ruthless White ruthless White

House. House.

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Misuse of power Misuse of power

Nixon could have Nixon could have dissociated himself from dissociated himself from

the break-in by dismissing the break-in by dismissing his guilty aides, but it was his guilty aides, but it was election time. Fearful of election time. Fearful of bad press, he arranged bad press, he arranged

hush money for the hush money for the burglars and instructed the burglars and instructed the

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

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The nature of PoliticsThe nature of Politics

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Ordering the CIA Ordering the CIA to stop the FBI to stop the FBI

from investigating from investigating the Watergate the Watergate

incident was an incident was an obstruction of obstruction of

justice, a criminal justice, a criminal offense.offense.

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misuse of power misuse of power

Nixon managed to Nixon managed to keep the lid on the keep the lid on the incident until after incident until after his re-election, but his re-election, but eventually the lid eventually the lid

blew off due to blew off due to congressional congressional investigations.investigations.

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misuse of power misuse of power

In January 1973, In January 1973, the Watergate the Watergate burglars were burglars were

found guilty. One found guilty. One of them began to of them began to

talk about his talk about his White House White House connections. connections.

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misuse of power misuse of power

In the meantime, two In the meantime, two reporters at the reporters at the

Washington PostWashington Post, Carl , Carl Bernstein and Bob Bernstein and Bob

Woodward, uncovered Woodward, uncovered the Committeethe Committee’’s to Re-s to Re-elects illegal elects illegal ““slush funslush fundd’’ and its links to key and its links to key White House aides.White House aides.

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C.R.E.E.PC.R.E.E.P

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

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

Nixon administration.Nixon administration.

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C.R.E.E.PC.R.E.E.P

In May, a Senate In May, a Senate committee began committee began holding nationally holding nationally

televised hearings, at televised hearings, at which it was discovered which it was discovered

that the Watergate that the Watergate break-in was linked to break-in was linked to

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

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Congress takes noticeCongress takes notice

The guilty White The guilty White House officials House officials

implicated President implicated President Nixon. During the Nixon. During the testimony, it was testimony, it was

discovered that Nixon discovered that Nixon had installed a secret had installed a secret taping system in the taping system in the

Oval office. Oval office.

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Congress takes noticeCongress takes notice

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Claiming executive Claiming executive privilege, Nixon refused privilege, Nixon refused to surrender the White to surrender the White

House tapes. Under House tapes. Under enormous pressure, he enormous pressure, he

eventually released eventually released some of the tapes. One some of the tapes. One

of the tapes was of the tapes was suspiciously missing 18-suspiciously missing 18-

minutes of recording.minutes of recording.

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Abuse of “Executive Power”Abuse of “Executive Power”

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Finally on June 23, 1974, Finally on June 23, 1974, the Supreme Court the Supreme Court

ordered Nixon to releaseordered Nixon to release the unaltered tapes. the unaltered tapes.

Lawyers were shocked to Lawyers were shocked to find concrete evidence find concrete evidence that the president had that the president had

orderedordered the cover-up of the cover-up of the Watergate break-inthe Watergate break-in..

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Abuse of “Executive Power”Abuse of “Executive Power”

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By then, the House of By then, the House of Representatives had Representatives had

began to consider began to consider articles of articles of

impeachment, to impeachment, to remove the president remove the president

from office.from office.

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Congress takes actionCongress takes action

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Certain that he would be convicted by the Senate, on Certain that he would be convicted by the Senate, on August 9, 1974, Nixon became the first U.S. August 9, 1974, Nixon became the first U.S.

president to resign from office.president to resign from office.

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Gerald Ford swears in as President of the United States.

The next day, Vice The next day, Vice President Gerald Ford was President Gerald Ford was

sworn in as president. sworn in as president. Congressman Ford had Congressman Ford had replaced Vice President replaced Vice President Spiro Agnew, who had Spiro Agnew, who had

himself resigned in 1973 for himself resigned in 1973 for accepting accepting ““kickbackskickbacks””

while governor of while governor of Maryland.Maryland.

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A new PresidentA new President

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

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

committed or might committed or might have committed during have committed during

his presidency.his presidency.””

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A new President; shocks a A new President; shocks a nationnation

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

agony of Nixonagony of Nixon’’s s criminal prosecution. criminal prosecution.

He felt the country He felt the country needed to move on.needed to move on.

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A new President; shocks a A new President; shocks a nationnation

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

to resign, because of what they viewed as a minor to resign, 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. That was one lesson of Soviet history knew no parallel. That was one lesson of Watergate – that, in America, the rule of law prevailed. No Watergate – that, in America, the rule of law prevailed. No

one is above the law, not even the president.one is above the law, not even the president.

A second lesson involved A second lesson involved the constitutional the constitutional

separation of powers. As separation of powers. As commander-in-chief, commander-in-chief,

Nixon asserted unlimited Nixon asserted unlimited authority, excusing his authority, excusing his

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

balances. balances.

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A lesson learned…A lesson learned…

Congress pushed back Congress pushed back against the abuses of the against the abuses of the Nixon administration, Nixon administration,

passing the War Powers passing the War Powers Act (1973), limiting the Act (1973), limiting the

presidentpresident’’s ability to s ability to deploy U.S. forces deploy U.S. forces

without congressional without congressional approval.approval.

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A lesson learned…A lesson learned…

Congress passed the Congress passed the Freedom of Information Freedom of Information

Act (1974), protecting Act (1974), protecting privacy and access to privacy and access to

federal records, and the federal records, and the Fair Campaign Practices Fair Campaign Practices Act (1974), limiting and Act (1974), limiting and

regulating contributions in regulating contributions in presidential campaigns.presidential campaigns.

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A lesson learned…A lesson learned…

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Lastly, Congress passed the Federal Intelligence Lastly, Congress passed the Federal Intelligence Surveillance Act (1978), prohibiting domestic Surveillance Act (1978), prohibiting domestic

wiretapping without a warrant. wiretapping without a warrant.

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Questions?Questions?