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The Roots of Watergate Bob Woodward Reporter for the Washington Post Asked to cover a small but weird incident Five men had broken into the Democratic National Committee in the Watergate Office Complex Judge asked the men what their occupation was and one replied that he was retired from the government and worked for the CIA Why would a former CIA man be involved in a burglary?
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Unit 9
The Watergate Scandal Chapter 28 Section 2
The Roots of WatergateBob Woodward
Reporter for the Washington Post Asked to cover a small but weird incidentFive men had broken into the Democratic
National Committee in the Watergate Office Complex
Judge asked the men what their occupation was and one replied that he was retired from the government and worked for the CIA
Why would a former CIA man be involved in a burglary?
The Roots of WatergateMounting a Reelection Fight
Nixon administration tried to cover up the involvement in the break in
Nixon had fought hard to become president Loss to JFK, Nixon became president when our society
was sufferingVietnam war was still going on during Nixon’s
reelection time and the Republicans decided to spy on as many opposition rallies and spread rumors and false reports about the democrats
Nixon’s administration also ordered five men to break into the Democratic Party’s Headquarters They were to steal any campaign information,
wiretap the phone lines,
The Roots of WatergateThe Cover-Up Begins
The media discovered that James McCord was not only CIA but he was also a member on the Committee for the Re-Election of the President
White House officials began destroying evidence
Nixon’s Administration asked the CIA to stop the FBI’s investigation because it threatened national security
Many people believed Nixon had nothing to do with the break-in
The Cover-Up UnravelsA Summer of Shocking Testimony
John Dean (counsel to the President) testified that former Attorney General Mitchell had ordered the Watergate Break-in and Nixon had played an active role in the cover up
White House Aid Alexander Butterfield testified that Nixon had ordered a taping system installed in the White house For his memoirs he would later write Is Nixon going to hand over the tapes with no
problems?
The Cover-Up UnravelsThe Case of the Tapes
Nixon refused to hand over the tapes saying it was executive privilege Principle that White House conversations should
remain confidential to protect national securitySpecial Prosecutor Archibald Cox
(government lawyer appointed by the president) Ordered Nixon to hand over the tapes Nixon ordered Attorney General Richardson to fire
Cox but he refused and the Attorney General resigned Nixon ordered Richardson’s deputy to fire Cox and
the deputy resigned Cox was finally fired but this incident badly damaged
Nixon’s reputation with the public
The Cover-Up Unravels Nixon Resigns
President Nixon appointed a new Special Prosecutor from Texas who was less interested in obtaining the tapes
July – The Supreme Court ruled that Nixon had to hand over the tapes
The House Judiciary Committee voted to impeach Nixon or charge him with misconduct Obstructing Justice Misusing federal agencies to violate the rights of
citizens Defying the authority of Congress by refusing to
deliver tapes and other materials
The Cover-Up UnravelsNixon Resigns
Before the House votes on whether or not to impeach Nixon investigators found undeniable evidence against Nixon The tapes proved that Nixon had ordered the
CIA to stop the FBI’s investigationNixon knew impeachment was coming so
he resigned and Ford stepped in as president
The Cover-Up UnravelsThe Impact of Watergate
President Ford urged people to put Watergate behind them
President Ford announced he would fully pardon Nixon for any crimes that he committed while being president
Federal Campaign Act Amendments – Controlled the President’s Power Limited campaign contributions and established an
independent agency to administer stricter election laws
Congress also established a means for appointing an independent counsel to investigate and prosecute wrongdoings by government officials
The Cover-Up UnravelsThe Impact of Watergate
Many Americans had a deep distrust of public officials
Hard times are ahead for the United States