AP U.S. HISTORY
TH 39 – 2
NIXON: WATERGATE
1. Biggest presidential scandal in U.S. history (forced Nixon to resign)
2. Nixon sought to secretly attack political opponents.
a. Nixon surrounded himself with people who almost always agreed
with him, thus protecting himself from criticism and making him
more isolated.
1) "H.R." Haldeman, Chief of Staff: Nixon's closest aide.
2) John Erlichman, chief domestic policy advisor
b. 1971, Nixon's men gathered list of 200 individuals and 18
organizations that the administration regarded as enemies.
1) Included Edward Kennedy, McGovern, entire black
leadership in Congress, college presidents, actors such as
Steve McQueen, Paul Newman, Jane Fonda, and 57 members
of the media.
2) Nixon asked FBI to spy on these individuals and try to
discredit them.
3) Ordered the IRS to harass them with tax audits.
4) FBI blocked an illegal Nixon plan for secret police operation
to combat antiwar movement. Would have included FBI,
CIA, NSC & military intelligence. Nixon feared antiwar
movement might undo him like it did Johnson.
3. CREEP -- Committee to Re-Elect the President
a. Nixon worried about the outcome of the 1972 elections.
1) Nixon's attorney general set up CREEP and began a massive
illegal fund-raising campaign.
2) Money was set aside in a special fund to pay for "dirty tricks"
operations against Nixon’s Democratic opponents.
b. White House "plumbers" instructed to stop anti-Nixon leaks to
the press.
1) New York Times published "Pentagon Papers" stating Gulf
of Tonkin Resolution had been based on a lie and discredited
Johnson's motives for continuing the war. Nixon feared leaks
of classified documents damaging to his administration.
2) CREEP’s special investigations unit, "the plumbers," targeted
Daniel Ellsberg who had leaked the "Pentagon Papers."
Broke into office of Ellsberg’s psychiatrist but found nothing
embarrassing.
c. Watergate Break-In, summer 1972
1) Burglars hired by CREEP caught breaking into Democratic
Nat’l Headquarters at the Watergate Hotel in Washington,
D.C.
2) Nixon and his aides denied any involvement in the break-in
and embarked on a massive cover-up while the public initially
believed them.
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Notes
AP U.S. HISTORY
4. Bob Woodward & Carl Bernstein, young Washington Post
journalists, broke the story.
a. Investigations revealed that two of the Watergate burglars and a
White House aide involved in the burglary were employees of
CREEP. Also discovered other illegal activities conducted by the
president’s advisors.
b. "Silence money": Nixon secretly authorized payment of more
than $460,000 in CREEP funds to keep the Watergate burglars
quiet about White House involvement.
5. 1973, Watergate trial and Senate hearings revealed Nixon and other
White House officials had covered up their involvement & pressured
defendants "to plead guilty and remain silent." Nixon announced
resignations of his three closest aides who were involved in
Watergate.
6. Watergate Tapes.
a. Senate committee and prosecutor Archibald Cox called on Nixon
to surrender tapes of conversations that might pertain to the
Watergate break-in.
b. Nixon refused and claimed executive privilege and stating release
of the tapes would endanger national security.
c. Saturday Night Massacre: Nixon fired two of his men for
refusing to fire special prosecutor Archibald Cox before a third
Nixon aide finally fired Cox. Public outraged
7. Spiro Agnew resigns (October, 1973)
a. Agnew pleaded no contest to charges of income tax evasion and
accepting bribes while governor of Maryland and resigned the
vice presidency.
b. Nixon nominated Gerald R. Ford, the popular conservative House
Minority Leader
8. In a non-related matter, Nixon was forced to pay back taxes for tax
evasion ($500,000) Also accused of using public funds for
improvements to his private residencies in California and Florida
9. Nixon releases edited transcripts of some tapes but most
incriminating portions are erased, especially critical 18 minute gap.
a. When Nixon refused to release unedited tapes, special prosecutor
took case to Supreme Court.
b. U.S. v. Nixon: Court ruled unanimously that President Nixon had
to release the tapes.
10. Impeachment proceedings.
a. July 30, House committee voted to recommend impeachment of
President Nixon on three counts:
1) Obstructing justice by trying to cover up the role of the White
House in the Watergate burglary.
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Notes
AP U.S. HISTORY
2) Violating the rights of U.S. citizens by using the FBI, CIA,
and IRS to harass critics.
3) Defying congressional authority by refusing to turn over the
tapes.
b. August 5, Nixon handed over the tapes which revealed a White
House cover up Impeachment charges seemed certain.
Notes
11. Nixon resigns as President (August 7, 1974) Following day,
Gerald Ford sworn in as president.
12. Ford Pardons Nixon in September for any crimes he may have
committed while president.
a. Many Americans outraged that Nixon escaped justice.
1) Questioned if a deal had been made between Nixon and Ford.
2) In light of Vietnam, Americans grew even more skeptical of
their govt.
b. 31 Nixon administration officials were convicted and went to
prison for Watergate-related offenses.
c. The pardon probably cost Gerald Ford the presidential election of
1976.
Rosemary Woods stretch. Missing 18 minutes of tape was “accidentally’ erased by Nixon’s
secretary. The erasure occurred when she reached for the phone while transcribing the tapes (activated
by a foot switch).
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AP U.S. HISTORY
A Chronology of the Watergate Crisis
Date
Event
Note
November
1968
Nixon defeats Humphrey and
Wallace for president
During the height of the Vietnam War, Nixon wins by
510,000 votes out of 73,000,000 (43%) of popular vote.
May 1969
Nixon orders wiretaps to discover
leaks of secret bombing of
Cambodia
FBI is given orders for wiretap though no court order is
obtained.
Pentagon Papers published by New
June 13, 1971
York Times
Daniel Ellsberg is indicted for theft, conspiracy, and
espionage for leaking papers that expose the
government's plans in Vietnam, though the Supreme
Court refuses to stop publishing papers.
June 1971
Plumbers unit created to discredit
Ellsberg
Secret White House group assigned to ruin Ellsberg's
reputation break into psychiatrist's office in Beverly
Hills but find nothing embarrassing.
January 1972
Plumbers present program to
Attorney General Mitchell
$1 million program of kidnapping, wiretaps and other
illegal campaign activities. Mitchell rejects plan as too
expensive, but does not condemn as wrong.
Spring 1972
In plan to divide Democrats, Nixon's aides uses various
Dirty tricks in 1972 presidential race techniques, including forged letters to cause ill-will
among candidates.
June 17, 1972 Watergate burglars arrested
Plumbers break into Democratic National Committee
offices to repair wiretap bug. White House dismisses
event as "third-rate burglary."
September
1972
Hush money paid to Watergate
burglars
$220,000 given to convicted Plumbers in exchange for
promise of silence.
November
1972
Nixon defeats McGovern for
presidency
Carrying 49/50 states (520-17 in the electoral college)
and 61% of the popular vote, Nixon easily defeats
McGovern.
April 17,
1973
Nixon lies about his awareness of
cover-up
Stating that he learned of cover-up in March of 1973,
Nixon orders "intensive new inquiries." In fact, he knew
about cover-up since June 1972.
Nixon fires top aides
Ehrlichman and Haldemann fired by Nixon, who
appoints new Attorney General Elliot Richardson who
is empowered to appoint a special prosecutor for the
Watergate matter.
Senate Watergate hearings
Sen. Ervin conducts three months of televised hearings
which report enemies’ lists, money drops, illegally
obtained campaign funds, and harassment by IRS of
political enemies. Most importantly, a secret taperecording system in the White House is discovered.
April 29,
1973
May 1973
Vice-President Agnew accused of
August 1973 income-tax evasion, bribery,
conspiracy, and extortion
At first protesting innocence, Agnew eventually resigns
and pleads "no contest" to charges. He is fined $10,000
and placed on three years probation. Agnew is
succeeded by Gerald Ford as vice-president in October.
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AP U.S. HISTORY
Date
Event
Note
October 1973
Court rules Nixon must present tapes Appeals Court rules 5-2 that "the President ...is not
to Special Prosecutor Archibold Cox above the law's commands."
Nixon offers summaries of tapes to Cox, who demands
actual tapes. Nixon orders Richardson to fire Cox, who
refuses and resigns. Asst. Attorney General
Ruckelshaus also refuses and resigns. Finally Robert
Bork fires Cox. In its first-ever editorial, Time
magazine states "The President Should Resign."
October 20,
1973
Saturday Night Massacre
March 1974
Mitchell, Haldeman, Ehrlichmann and others accused of
obstructing justice and perjury. Nixon is named as an
8 former White House aides indicted
unindicted co-conspirator because Special Prosecutor
by grand jury for conspiring in
Leon Jaworski argued that a president must first be
cover-up
impeached and removed from office before an
indictment.
April 1974
In televised address, Nixon releases transcripts allegedly
containing all relevant Watergate information. They
reveal President and aides to be vulgar and constantly
Nixon releases heavily-edited tape
plotting to "get" their enemies. Republican Senator
transcripts
Scott calls taped conversations "shabby, disgusting, and
immoral." A key 18-minute section of a June 20, 1972
meeting is inexplicably missing.
July 1974
House Committee recommends
impeachment hearings
Judiciary Committee votes 27-11 to impeach Nixon for
cover up, abuse of powers, and failure to abide by
subpoenas.
In U.S. v. Richard Nixon, Supreme
July 24, 1974 Court rules that Nixon must hand
over tapes
Voting 8-0, Court rules that executive privilege does not
apply and that Nixon must hand over tapes to Judge
John Sirica.
August 5,
1974
Nixon releases three tapes to soften
impact of full disclosure
Included is the "smoking gun" which proves that Nixon
ordered cover-up as early as June 23, 1972 and lied to
the public for nine months.
August 5,
1974
Secretary of Defense requires all
military commanders to refuse
Secretary Schlesinger issues first-ever order, indicating
orders from White House unless also lack of trust in Nixon's decision-making
signed by him
August 8,
1974
Nixon resigns the presidency
After pledging to his Cabinet his refusal to resign, top
Republicans inform him that if impeached, he would be
convicted by a huge margin in the Senate. Nixon
becomes first president to resign office. Ford succeeds
Nixon.
September
1974
Ford pardons Nixon
Proclaiming that the "long national nightmare is over,"
Ford issues pardon for any Nixon crimes.
Feldmeth, Greg D. "U.S. History Resources"
http://home.earthlink.net/~gfeldmeth/USHistory.html (31 March 1998).
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