32-2 Watergate: Nixon’s Downfall
How were the “plumbers”
connected to President Nixon?
The White House Plumbers were a covert White House
Special Investigations Unit established during the presidency of
Richard Nixon. Its task was to stop the leaking of classified
information to the news media. Its members branched into
illegal activities working for the CRP, including the Watergate
break-ins and the ensuing Watergate Scandal.
• The plumber’s leader, John
Mitchell, was an official of the
Committee to Reelect the
President (CRP)
• John Mitchell had resigned his
former position as Attorney
General to run Nixon’s
campaign.
2. Who was the Judge? Why did he
hand out maximum sentences?
• Judge John Sirica was the
judge in the trial of the
Watergate burglars
• He handed out maximum
sentences in the hope that
the burglars would identify
others who were also
involved
3. How were Mitchell and Dean
connected to Nixon?
• Mitchell had been
Nixon’s attorney general
and was the director of
the Committee to Reelect
the President
• John Dean had been
White House Counsel.
3. How were Haldeman and
Erlichman connected to Nixon?
• H.R. Haldeman was
Nixon’s Chief of Staff
• John Erlichman was
Nixon’s Chief Domestic
Counsel.
5. What did the following men tell
the Senate about Nixon?
• Dean: Nixon was deeply involved in the
cover-up
• Mitchell: If there was a cover-up, Nixon
wasn’t involved
• Butterfield: Nixon had taped
nearly all of his presidential
conversations
6. Who was forced to resign in the
Saturday Night Massacre?
Archibald Cox, the special
prosecutor, took the president
to court to get the tapes.
Nixon refused and ordered
Richardson to fire Cox. Richardson
refused and resigned.
The Deputy attorney general also
refused and resigned. Solicitor
General Robert Bork finally fired
Cox, but his replacement, Leon
Jaworski, was also determined to
get the tapes
What did the transcripts show? Why weren’t
investigators satisfied with the transcripts?
• Nixon’s use of vulgar
language and his lack of
concern about
addressing the
Watergate scandal.
• Investigators weren’t
satisfied with the edited
tapes and believed that
only unedited tapes
could provide evidence
involving possible
criminal activity.
In fighting to keep from releasing
the tapes, Nixon first released a
transcript of the tapes
and went on national TV to
explain that. It didn't work.
What did the tapes reveal?
• That within a weak of the break-in, Nixon had
known of his administration’s role in the
burglary and had participated in the cover-up