Chapter 25 Section 3 The Watergate Scandal

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Chapter 25 Section 3 The Watergate Scandal
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Content at A Glance

• The 1972 presidential election was coming up
  Nixon and his staff were determined to win even
  if this meant committing crimes.

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Paranoid PresidentParanoid staff

• Enemies list list of influential people who
  didnt like Nixon, decided to harass them.
• Wiretaps Nixon told Kissinger to tap phones of
  White House staff.
• FBI director J. Edgar Hoover was already tapping
  phones and opening mail of radicals.

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Paranoid PresidentParanoid Staff

• The Plumbers Stop govt leaks.
• 1971 The Pentagon Papers told how govt had lied
  about Vietnam.
• More leaks continued,.so the plumbers bribed.
• Illegal campaign funding tactics tried to
  sabotage other candidates by lying about them to
  media, spied on other candidates.
• This is called mudslinging

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Watergate Break-In

• Wiretap phones at Dem. National Convention (it
  was illegal because they had to break in)
• Five men were arrested from Nixons campaign.
• Nixon asked the CIA to get the FBI to stop
  investigation b/c it involved national
  security.
• Nixon was NOT part of the break it but he was
  part of the cover-up.
• Nixon was reelected in 1972.

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Watergate Scandal Unfolds

• Trial of Watergate burglars started Jan. 1973,
  all were found guilty
• Nixon approved money to defendants to keep them
  quiet.
• Judge gave them 40yrs, but promised to reduce it
  if they cooperated in the Senate hearings.

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Saturday Night Massacre

• Nixon agreed to the appointment of a new
  prosecutor Archibald Cox. He then asked for the
  tapes.

• Nixon ordered him fired on Oct. 20 1973
• This triggered a series of resignation and
  firings
• Jaworski, Coxs replacement also asked for the
  tapes

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Edited transcripts of the Tapes

• Vice President Spiro Agnew accused of evading
  taxes and taking bribes.
• House Judiciary Committee voted to impeach the
  President.
• To remove him the House of Reps would have to
  vote for impeachment, the Senate would then hold
  a trial and then 2/3 of the Senators present
  voting to convict.
• On August 5th Nixon finally released the tapes
  with an 18 minute gap
• Aug 8th, Nixon goes on TV and announced he would
  leave the office
• Nixon is the first President to ever resign
• Many Americans lost faith and trust in the
  government
• President Ford takes office!