Isabella Carter
The Watergate scandal was a series of interlocking political scandals involving the administration of US President Richard Nixon. It began on June 17, 1972, when five men were caught breaking into and planting listening devices in the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C. Nixon's efforts to conceal his administration's involvement led to an impeachment process and his resignation in August 1974. The scandal escalated into a constitutional crisis when Nixon refused to comply with the Senate Watergate Committee's requests for access to information, citing executive privilege and separation of powers. The crisis centred around the question of whether the President of the United States could be prosecuted for criminal charges during his term in office.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason for the break-in | To further conservative objectives |
| Date of the break-in | June 17, 1972 |
| People involved | President Nixon and his aides |
| Outcome | President Nixon's resignation |
| Nature of the crisis | Conflict between the executive and legislative branches of government |
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What You'll Learn
Nixon's refusal to release tapes
The Watergate scandal was a series of interlocking political scandals involving the administration of US President Richard Nixon. The scandal included a break-in at the Democratic National Committee (DNC) headquarters in the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C., on June 17, 1972, and a subsequent cover-up by people who worked for or with the White House, and by Nixon himself.
Nixon had installed a voice-activated taping system in the Oval Office to record his meetings and telephone calls. When it was revealed that Nixon had such a system, his administration refused to grant investigators access to the tapes, leading to a constitutional crisis.
Special Counsel Archibald Cox subpoenaed the tapes, but Nixon refused to release them, citing executive privilege as president and the separation of powers and checks and balances within the Constitution. He also claimed they were vital to national security.
On April 11, 1974, the House Committee on the Judiciary subpoenaed the tapes of 42 White House conversations. Nixon released more than 1,200 pages of edited transcripts but refused to surrender the actual tapes. The Judiciary Committee rejected Nixon's edited transcripts, saying that they did not comply with the subpoena.
On July 24, 1974, the Supreme Court ordered Nixon to release the tapes, ruling that claims of executive privilege over the tapes were void. On July 30, 1974, Nixon complied and released the subpoenaed tapes to the public.
One tape, later known as the "Smoking Gun" tape, documented Nixon ordering aides to tell the FBI to halt its investigation. On the verge of being impeached, Nixon resigned on August 9, 1974, becoming the only US president to do so.
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The Ervin committee's pursuit of tapes
The Watergate scandal was a series of interlocking political scandals involving the administration of US President Richard Nixon. It began on June 17, 1972, when five men associated with Nixon's reelection campaign were caught burglarizing and planting listening devices in the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate hotel and office complex in Washington, D.C.
The Senate Watergate Committee, officially known as the Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, was formed in February 1973 to investigate the break-in and any subsequent cover-up of criminal activity, as well as other illegal or unethical conduct during the 1972 presidential campaign. The committee was chaired by Senator Sam Ervin, a former North Carolina Supreme Court justice and widely regarded as the Senate's constitutional expert.
Chairman Ervin requested access to Nixon's tapes, believing they would either corroborate or repudiate testimony that the president had knowledge of and approved efforts to cover up the Watergate break-in. On July 16, 1973, the committee voted unanimously to subpoena the tapes and documents, as authorized by Senate Resolution 194. Nixon, however, refused to comply, citing executive privilege and separation of powers.
Senator Ervin rebutted that the committee was exercising its constitutional power to conduct the investigation and that the doctrine of separation of powers required the President to recognize this and refrain from obstructing the committee. He also insisted that executive privilege could not be used to cover up criminal behavior. Vice Chairman Howard Baker proposed taking the President to court over the matter.
Throughout the Watergate scandal, Nixon repeatedly denied any knowledge of or involvement in the burglary. However, testimony from former aides and counsel, including John Dean III and Alexander Butterfield, contradicted the President's claims. Butterfield revealed the existence of a secret taping system in the White House, which recorded conversations in various rooms, including the Oval Office. The pursuit of these tapes by the Ervin committee was a significant part of their investigation, as they sought to uncover the truth about Nixon's role in the Watergate scandal.
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Nixon's violation of the Constitution
The Watergate Scandal, which began on June 17, 1972, was a series of interlocking political scandals involving the administration of President Richard Nixon. The scandal included a break-in at the Democratic National Committee (DNC) headquarters in the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C., and a subsequent cover-up by people who worked for or with the White House, including Nixon himself.
Refusal to Provide Access to Tapes
After it was revealed that Nixon had installed a voice-activated taping system in the Oval Office, his administration refused to grant investigators access to the tapes. Nixon cited executive privilege and separation of powers, arguing that releasing private recordings to another branch of the government would infringe on the constitutional system of checks and balances. This refusal led to a constitutional crisis and provoked confrontations between the Watergate Committee and the White House.
Obstruction of the Senate Watergate Committee's Investigation
Nixon repeatedly denied any knowledge of the Watergate burglary and claimed a constitutional separation of powers, refusing to allow his aides to testify before the Senate Watergate Committee. He also withheld presidential papers from the committee, despite public pressure for cooperation. However, former White House counsel John Dean III testified that Nixon had approved plans to cover up the White House's connections to the break-in.
Unethical Practices and Violation of Rights
Research has also uncovered unethical practices and potential violations of Nixon's Constitutional rights during the Watergate investigations. There were ex parte meetings between prosecutors and judges without Nixon's lawyers present, and Grand Jury secrecy rules were disregarded. Additionally, the special prosecutors' procedures were criticised for potentially violating Nixon's Constitutional right to confront any evidence placed before Congress, which could be used in an impeachment trial.
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The media's role in exposing Watergate
The Watergate scandal was a series of interlocking political scandals involving the administration of President Richard Nixon. It began on June 17, 1972, when five men broke into the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate hotel and office complex in Washington, D.C. Four of the five burglars had previously worked for the CIA on activities against Fidel Castro in Cuba, and the fifth was James W. McCord, Jr., security chief of the Committee to Re-elect the President (later known as CREEP).
The media played a significant role in exposing the Watergate scandal. The dogged reporting of Washington Post journalists, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, raised questions and suggested connections between Nixon's reelection campaign and the Watergate burglars. They received leaks from an anonymous source they referred to as "Deep Throat," who was later revealed to be FBI Deputy Director W. Mark Felt, Sr. Their reporting demonstrated the direct involvement of Nixon's associates in the Watergate break-in and wiretapping, as well as the illegal financing of these activities through laundered campaign contributions.
Newspapers and the three major networks (ABC, NBC, and CBS) covered the developing scandal, and public television also joined in, with the National Public Affairs Center for Television (NPACT), which later became PBS, airing live coverage of the Watergate hearings. The Senate hearings were also broadcast live on commercial television and replayed during prime time, bringing the scandal into the living rooms of Americans.
The media coverage of the Watergate scandal was not without its challenges. Initially, there was limited media interest in the story, with only a handful of reporters working exclusively on Watergate. Some sympathetic newspapers hardly mentioned Watergate at all, and the White House successfully framed Woodward and Bernstein's reporting as a liberal vendetta against the president. Additionally, Nixon himself tried to disrupt the FBI investigation and deny access to information, creating a constitutional crisis.
Despite these obstacles, the media's role in exposing Watergate was significant. It brought the scandal to the public eye, leading to increased scrutiny of Nixon's administration and ultimately contributing to his resignation. The Watergate scandal became a definitive period in American politics and influenced the development of journalism, demonstrating the power of the media in holding leaders accountable.
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Nixon's resignation and the aftermath
The Watergate scandal was a series of interlocking political scandals involving the administration of President Richard Nixon. It began on June 17, 1972, when five men associated with Nixon's re-election campaign were caught burglarizing and planting listening devices in the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C.
Nixon's efforts to conceal his administration's involvement led to an impeachment process and, ultimately, his resignation on August 9, 1974. In the aftermath of Nixon's resignation, he was issued a controversial pardon by his successor, Gerald Ford. Nixon's presidential powers had been weakened during his tenure, and his resignation prevented further investigation into the scandal.
The scandal had a significant impact on the public's trust in the government, with historian Keith W. Olson writing that Nixon left a legacy of fundamental mistrust of the government, rooted in Vietnam and Watergate. The media also played a crucial role in the scandal, with Washington Post reporters Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward pursuing leads and publishing scoops that demonstrated the direct involvement of Nixon's associates in the Watergate activities.
In the years following the scandal, Nixon worked to rehabilitate his image, writing nine books and undertaking many foreign trips. He suffered a debilitating stroke in April 1994 and passed away four days later.
The Watergate scandal also had international repercussions. Then-Prime Minister of Japan, Kakuei Tanaka, commented that the scandal had no bearing on the United States' leadership on the world stage. However, his successor, Takeo Miki, acknowledged the impact of the scandal on American democracy. Meanwhile, Cuban leader Fidel Castro remarked that the Watergate burglaries and wiretappings were "probably the least" of the crimes committed by Cuban exiles.
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Frequently asked questions
On June 17, 1972, five men were caught breaking into and planting listening devices in the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C.
President Nixon's administration was found to have clashed with Congress over the details of an extensive cover-up related to the break-in. Nixon refused to allow his aides to testify, citing constitutional separation of powers. However, former White House counsel John Dean III testified that Nixon had approved plans to cover up the White House's connection to the break-in.
The scandal led to discussions on whether the President of the United States could be prosecuted for criminal charges during his term in office. The executive branch was seen as having become imperial during Nixon's presidency, with a loyal group of advisers who played a significant role in his election.
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