Watergate: Nixon’s Downfall

Ch. 24-2

An Imperial Presidency

• 1968 – The Executive branch has become the most powerful branch of government;– The expansion of presidential power began with T.

Roosevelt; – FDR continued the expansion during the New Deal

and WWII• Nixon wanted to further increase the power of

the President

All the President’s Men

• Nixon surrounded himself with a small group of loyal advisers:– H.R. Haldeman – White House Chief of Staff– John Ehrlichman – Chief Domestic Adviser– John Mitchell – Attorney General– John Dean – Counsel to the President

• Nixon and his advisers came to believe that they were above the law

A Bungled Burglary

• June 17, 1972 – Five men are caught breaking into Democratic Party headquarters in the Watergate complex;– The plan was to photograph documents and bug

telephones;– James McCord, the group’s leader, was a former

CIA agent and security coordinator for the Committee to Reelect the President (CRP)

The Cover-Up Begins

• With the President’s knowledge and consent:– Incriminating documents are shredded;– The CIA is asked to urge the FBI to stop its investigation into

the burglary;– The CRP pays off the burglars to keep quiet

• Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, reporters for the Washington Post continue investigating;– Information uncovered by Woodward & Bernstein links the

White House to the burglary;– Their source is an insider nicknamed, “Deep Throat”

The Cover-Up Unravels• James McCord reveals that members of the

Nixon administration were involved in the break-in;

• The Senate begins an investigation into Watergate:– Nixon fires Dean and announces the resignation of

Haldeman and Ehrlichman;– Nixon appears on TV to deny involvement– Officials in the Nixon administration are called to

testify before a Senate special committee

The Nixon Tapes

• During his Senate testimony, Dean reveals that Nixon was deeply involved in the cover-up

• Presidential Aide, Alexander Butterfield, reveals that Nixon taped virtually all presidential conversations– A battle for the “Nixon Tapes” follows;– More Nixon administration officials resign or are

fired, including the V.P., Spiro Agnew• Gerald Ford is confirmed as the new V.P.

U.S. v. Nixon

• July, 1974 - The Supreme Court determines that Nixon must hand over the White House tapes;– Nixon claims “executive privilege” and that

handing over the tapes may endanger national security;

– Court says there is no executive privilege when there is evidence of criminal activity

Nixon Resigns• March 1974 – Seven presidential aids are indicted

on charges of conspiracy, obstruction of justice and perjury

• July 27, 1974 – The Senate committee approves three articles of impeachment against Nixon for obstruction, abuse of power and contempt

• August 5, 1974 – Nixon releases the tapes which contain evidence that Nixon had known and agreed to the cover-up plan.

• August 8, 1974 – Nixon become the 1st president to resign from office

The Legacy of Watergate

• 25 members of Nixon’s administration are convicted and sent to prison.– Nixon is pardoned by President Ford

• People are disillusioned with their government and with the “imperial presidency”– Lingering cynicism/distrust in the media and with the

American public• Congress acts to curb the power of the President– Halt funding of the bombing in Cambodia– War Powers Act – limits the president’s freedom in

initiating foreign wars