WATERGATEWATERGATE

CHAPTER 32, SECTION 2CHAPTER 32, SECTION 2

IMPORTANT TERMSIMPORTANT TERMS

WATERGATEWATERGATE H.R. HALDEMANNH.R. HALDEMANN JOHN ERLICHMANNJOHN ERLICHMANN COMMITTEE TO REELECT THE COMMITTEE TO REELECT THE

PRESIDENT (C.R.E.P.)PRESIDENT (C.R.E.P.) JUDGE JOHN SIRICAJUDGE JOHN SIRICA SATURDAY NIGHT MASSACRESATURDAY NIGHT MASSACRE

IMPORTANT DATESIMPORTANT DATES

JUNE, 1972: WATERGATE BREAK-INJUNE, 1972: WATERGATE BREAK-IN SEPTEMBER, 1972: WATERGATE SEPTEMBER, 1972: WATERGATE

BURGLARS INDICTEDBURGLARS INDICTED JANUARY, 1973: WATERGATE TRIAL JANUARY, 1973: WATERGATE TRIAL

BEGINSBEGINS OCTOBER, 1973: THE SATURDAY OCTOBER, 1973: THE SATURDAY

NIGHT MASSACRENIGHT MASSACRE AUGUST 8, 1974: RICHARD NIXON AUGUST 8, 1974: RICHARD NIXON

RESIGNS THE PRESIDENCYRESIGNS THE PRESIDENCY

ORIGINS OF THE SCANDALORIGINS OF THE SCANDAL CAUSES:CAUSES:

Executive Branch had developed extreme power Executive Branch had developed extreme power since FDR’s Administrationsince FDR’s Administration

Nixon believed President should be able to avoid Nixon believed President should be able to avoid limits to his powerlimits to his power

Examples? Examples? 1970: Invasion of Cambodia – Not approved by 1970: Invasion of Cambodia – Not approved by

CongressCongress Impounding (define)Impounding (define) federal $ going to programs he federal $ going to programs he

opposedopposed Nixon’s isolation from others & secrecyNixon’s isolation from others & secrecy Nixon’s mistrust of the media, liberals, etc.Nixon’s mistrust of the media, liberals, etc. Developed small groups of trusted White House Developed small groups of trusted White House

officials:officials: Examples: John Erlichmann, H.R. Haldeman, John Examples: John Erlichmann, H.R. Haldeman, John

MitchellMitchell

ORIGINS OF THE SCANDAL ORIGINS OF THE SCANDAL (Cont’d.)(Cont’d.)

Nixon’s White House advisors / aids Nixon’s White House advisors / aids become…become… Convinced they are threatened by a “liberal Convinced they are threatened by a “liberal

conspiracy”conspiracy” Suspicious of outsidersSuspicious of outsiders Very Very secretivesecretive Believed they were “above the law”Believed they were “above the law”

Example? Nixon campaign officials were Example? Nixon campaign officials were willing to break the law to guarantee the willing to break the law to guarantee the 1972 election victory1972 election victory

Results?Results? The Watergate break-inThe Watergate break-in The Watergate cover-upThe Watergate cover-up The Watergate scandalThe Watergate scandal

THE BREAK-INTHE BREAK-IN When? June 17, 1972When? June 17, 1972 Where? Where?

DNC Offices, DNC Offices, Watergate Apartment BldgWatergate Apartment Bldg.. Washington, DCWashington, DC

Who? The “Plumbers” (Define)Who? The “Plumbers” (Define) Why? Why?

Find / Copy important DNC documentsFind / Copy important DNC documents Plant wiretaps (bugs) Plant wiretaps (bugs)

Key Individual: James McCordKey Individual: James McCord So What?So What?

McCord: Former CIA Officer, also member of McCord: Former CIA Officer, also member of C.R.P.C.R.P.

Problem? C.R.P. is run by John Mitchell, Problem? C.R.P. is run by John Mitchell, former U.S. Attorney General former U.S. Attorney General

THE COVER-UPTHE COVER-UP PROBLEM: PEOPLE CLOSELY LINKED TO THE PROBLEM: PEOPLE CLOSELY LINKED TO THE

PRESIDENT ARE INVOLVED IN A CRIMEPRESIDENT ARE INVOLVED IN A CRIME SO WHAT? ISSUE RAISES THE QUESTION: SO WHAT? ISSUE RAISES THE QUESTION:

ARE PEOPLE IN NIXON’S ADMINISTRATION ARE PEOPLE IN NIXON’S ADMINISTRATION HONEST / ETHICAL PEOPLE?HONEST / ETHICAL PEOPLE?

WHAT SHOULD NIXON DO? WHAT SHOULD NIXON DO? 2 OPTIONS:2 OPTIONS:

1. PUBLICLY ADMIT PEOPLE HE WORKED WITH WERE 1. PUBLICLY ADMIT PEOPLE HE WORKED WITH WERE INVOLVED IN THE BREAK-IN & FORCE THEM TO RESIGNINVOLVED IN THE BREAK-IN & FORCE THEM TO RESIGN

2. DENY THE ALLEGATIONS & TRY TO PREVENT AN 2. DENY THE ALLEGATIONS & TRY TO PREVENT AN INVESTIGATION OR COVER UP THE CRIMEINVESTIGATION OR COVER UP THE CRIME

WHAT SHOULD HE HAVE DONE?WHAT SHOULD HE HAVE DONE? IRONY: NEWS OF THE BREAK-IN IRONY: NEWS OF THE BREAK-IN

GENERATED LITTLE INTEREST IN THE PUBLICGENERATED LITTLE INTEREST IN THE PUBLIC

TRIAL & INVESTIGATIONTRIAL & INVESTIGATION JAN., 1973: TRIAL OF BURGLARS BEGINS – JAN., 1973: TRIAL OF BURGLARS BEGINS –

McCord LATER ADMITS THE COVER-UP INVOLVES McCord LATER ADMITS THE COVER-UP INVOLVES WHITE HOUSE OFFICIALSWHITE HOUSE OFFICIALS

MAY, 1973: SENATE INVESTIGATION BEGINSMAY, 1973: SENATE INVESTIGATION BEGINS INVESTIGATION REVEALS EXISTENCE OF OVAL OFFICE INVESTIGATION REVEALS EXISTENCE OF OVAL OFFICE

TAPING SYSTEM THAT COULD REVEAL COVER-UP TAPING SYSTEM THAT COULD REVEAL COVER-UP DETAILSDETAILS

CONGRESS ORDERS TAPES BE GIVEN TO THEMCONGRESS ORDERS TAPES BE GIVEN TO THEM NIXON REFUSES: SAYS THEY CONTAIN SENSITIVE NIXON REFUSES: SAYS THEY CONTAIN SENSITIVE

NATIONAL SECURITY INFO.NATIONAL SECURITY INFO. GOV’T. PROSECUTOR, ARCHIBALD COX, TAKES GOV’T. PROSECUTOR, ARCHIBALD COX, TAKES

NIXON TO COURT TO GET POSSESSION OF TAPESNIXON TO COURT TO GET POSSESSION OF TAPES NIXON ORDERS ATTORNEY GENERAL, ELLIOT NIXON ORDERS ATTORNEY GENERAL, ELLIOT

RICHARDSON, TO FIRE COXRICHARDSON, TO FIRE COX RICHARDSON REFUSES, RESIGNS, COX IS FIRED RICHARDSON REFUSES, RESIGNS, COX IS FIRED

BY NIXONBY NIXON THIS IS KNOWN AS THIS IS KNOWN AS ““THE SATURDAY NIGHTTHE SATURDAY NIGHT

MASSACREMASSACRE””

WATERGATE WATERGATE SCANDAL SCANDAL

CARTOON, CARTOON, 19741974

WATERGATE WATERGATE SCANDAL SCANDAL

CARTOON, 1974CARTOON, 1974

1974 1974 TIME MAGAZINE TIME MAGAZINE

COVER, COVER, WATERGATE WATERGATE

SCANDALSCANDAL

RESIGNATIONRESIGNATION

SENATE BEGINS IMPEACHMENT HEARINGSSENATE BEGINS IMPEACHMENT HEARINGS SUPREME COURT ORDERS NIXON TO GIVE SUPREME COURT ORDERS NIXON TO GIVE

CONGRESS THE TAPESCONGRESS THE TAPES TAPES REVEALED NIXON HAD DISCUSSED TAPES REVEALED NIXON HAD DISCUSSED

BREAK-IN W/ HALDEMANN SHORTLY AFTER BREAK-IN W/ HALDEMANN SHORTLY AFTER IT OCCURREDIT OCCURRED

CONGRESS BEGINS TO PREPARE FOR CONGRESS BEGINS TO PREPARE FOR IMPEACHMENTIMPEACHMENT

AUGUST 8, 1974: NIXON RESIGNS THE AUGUST 8, 1974: NIXON RESIGNS THE PRESIDENCY PRESIDENCY

RICHARD NIXON’S RICHARD NIXON’S RESIGNATION RESIGNATION

LETTER, AUGUST LETTER, AUGUST 99THTH , 1974 , 1974