Richard Nixon and the Watergate Scandal

Chapter 31

Break-In

• June 17, 1972• Democratic Committee Headquarters—

Watergate building– Washintgon D.C.

Frank Willis

• Security guard at the Watergate building• Discovered the taped doors that led to an

investigation regarding a break-in at the Watergate building

Liddy Gordon & E. Howard Hunt

• Arrested for the break-in at the Watergate building

• Later connected to the Nixon campaign

Bob Woodard & Carl Bernstein

• Reporters that continued the journalism investigation about the break-in at Watergate

Nixon’s Reelection

• Most of the American public had not heard about the Watergate scandal at the time of the election

• Nixon won by a landslide

Senate Hearings

• In May 1973, the U.S. Senate decides to hold hearings about the Watergate investigation

• Richard Nixon demands that an outside source be hired to conduct the investigation– Archibald Cox is hired

John Dean

• Testimony reveals a cover-up scheme taking place in the Nixon administration

• No evidence

Discovery of Record

• Discovery that there has been recording taking place in the White House

• Nixon claims he should not have to release the material due to presidential privilege

Archibald Cox

• Outside prosecutor running Watergate investigation

• Demands the tapes be released

Saturday Night Massacre

• Nixon wants to get Cox fired• Attorney General Elliot Richardson refuses to

fire Cox, resigns• Deputy Attorney General William Ruckelhaus

refuses as well, resigns• Cox is eventually fired• This event draws public attention and sparks

outrage

Impeachment Process

• House of Representatives begins discussing impeachment

Edited Tapes

• April 1974, Nixon releases edited transcripts of the tapes– Heavily edited

Supreme Court Order

• In July 1974, the Supreme Court rules that Nixon has to release the full tapes

• July 30, 1974, Nixon releases the tapes• Tapes include conversations about the scandal

itself

Nixon Advised to Resign

• Nixon catches wind that the House of Representatives and Congress are not in his favor in terms of impeachment proceedings

Nixon Resigns

• August 9, 1974• Nixon resigns as President of the United States

Presidential Pardon

• Gerald Ford gives Nixon a full pardon on September 8, 1974.