Watergate Scandal

Watergate ScandalWatergate ScandalUnit 12Unit 12

The ActThe Act

• May 28, 1972May 28, 1972• Nixon, paranoid of losing the election, has a Nixon, paranoid of losing the election, has a

group of men bug the DNC Headquarters in the group of men bug the DNC Headquarters in the Watergate Building.Watergate Building.

CaughtCaught

• June 17, 1972June 17, 1972• 5 Men are caught trying to 5 Men are caught trying to

repair the illegally repair the illegally implanted surveillance implanted surveillance equipmentequipment

• August 30, 1972August 30, 1972• Nixon lies and announces Nixon lies and announces

that after an investigation that after an investigation no one from the White no one from the White House was involvedHouse was involved

The Criminal The Criminal InvestigationInvestigation

• September 15, 1973 – Jan 8, September 15, 1973 – Jan 8, 19731973

• Indicted, convicted, and/or Indicted, convicted, and/or plead guiltyplead guilty• Bernard BarkerBernard Barker• Gordon LiddGordon Lidd• Eugenio MartinezEugenio Martinez• James McCordJames McCord• Howard HuntHoward Hunt• Frank SturgisFrank Sturgis• Virgilio GonzalesVirgilio Gonzales

The Senate The Senate InvestigationInvestigation

• Feb 17, 1973Feb 17, 1973• Congressman from the Congressman from the

Senate create a special Senate create a special committee: committee: Select Select Committee on Committee on Presidential Campaign Presidential Campaign ActivitiesActivities• This committee will This committee will

further investigate the further investigate the White House and its White House and its behaviors surrounding behaviors surrounding WatergateWatergate

Starting to Come ApartStarting to Come Apart

• April 23, 1973April 23, 1973• White House issues statements denying that the White House issues statements denying that the

President had any knowledge of any wrong President had any knowledge of any wrong doingdoing

• 7 days later, key Presidential advisors resign7 days later, key Presidential advisors resign

Coming ApartComing Apart

• May 17, 1973May 17, 1973• Senate starts holding public meetings on Senate starts holding public meetings on

televisiontelevision

Coming ApartComing Apart

• July 7, 1973July 7, 1973• President Nixon refused to testify for the President Nixon refused to testify for the

committeecommittee• He also refuses to give Congress access to his He also refuses to give Congress access to his

Presidential filesPresidential files

The Smoking GunThe Smoking Gun

• July 16, 1973July 16, 1973• Senate Committee Senate Committee

discovers through discovers through questioning the Presidents questioning the Presidents former advisors that there former advisors that there is a secret and illegal is a secret and illegal taping system installed in taping system installed in the White Housethe White House

• Investigators subpoenas Investigators subpoenas the White House tapes the White House tapes and documents to and documents to investigateinvestigate

The ImpasseThe Impasse

• July 25, 1973July 25, 1973• President Nixon President Nixon

refused to refused to comply with comply with the subpoenasthe subpoenas

The Saturday Night The Saturday Night MassacreMassacre

• October 1973October 1973• Nixon orders the Attorney Nixon orders the Attorney

General to fire the General to fire the investigator who is investigator who is putting subpoenas and putting subpoenas and legal pressure on the legal pressure on the White HouseWhite House

• The Attorney General The Attorney General refused to fire the refused to fire the investigator and instead investigator and instead he resigns himselfhe resigns himself

• The replacement AG, The replacement AG, fires special investigator fires special investigator CoxCox

Congress = RelentlessCongress = Relentless

• November 1973 – April November 1973 – April 19741974• New Special New Special

Prosecutor is Prosecutor is appointedappointed• Finally the White Finally the White

House turns over the House turns over the tapes under Supreme tapes under Supreme Court RulingCourt Ruling

• Discovers that there Discovers that there are gaps in the tapes are gaps in the tapes and suspects the and suspects the White House White House destroyed evidencedestroyed evidence

Impeachment!Impeachment!

• July 1974July 1974• House starts the House starts the

process of impeaching process of impeaching the President of the the President of the United StatesUnited States

• ImpeachmentImpeachment• Bring charges against Bring charges against

(convicted or not (convicted or not convicted)convicted)

• If found guilty, the If found guilty, the person is removed person is removed from officefrom office

ResignationResignation

• August 9, 1974August 9, 1974• President Nixon resigns President Nixon resigns

from the Presidencyfrom the Presidency

• September 8, 1974September 8, 1974• Nixon’s Vice President, Nixon’s Vice President,

Gerald Ford, now Gerald Ford, now President, President, pardons pardons Nixon Nixon of all crimes committed.of all crimes committed.