“Journal”

1. “Journal” “This is the 37th time I have spoken to you from this office, where so many decisions have been made that shaped the history of this Nation. Each time I have done so to discuss with you some matter that I believe affected the national interest.” –Richard Nixon (Resignation Speech) What are some past events that affected the national interest? What was the affect on American citizens? How did the events affect their view of government?

2. The Watergate Scandal BY: SCHUYLER GREEN, SARAH HIGLEY, CHRIS LIEB, AND MICHELLE MAZICK

3. CREEP • Committee for the Re-election of the President • Authorized a series of illegal activities during the election of 1972 to re-elect Nixon • To gain leverage or anything they could use to get a step ahead in the election • Sent burglars into the Democratic headquarters four times • To gain information on the Democratic party’s campaign strategies • Wondered if the Democratic party had any knowledge on the illegal campaign contributions made to the Republican party

4. The Watergate Break in • June 17, 1972- Five men arrested at 2:30am for the break in of the Watergate complex where the Democratic National Committee’s headquarters was based • Caught with cameras and electronic eavesdropping devices • The identities of the burglars made the incident more serious • 4 were active in CIA activities against Castro and the 5th was James McCord, the security chief of CREEP • Two accomplices were later named • E. Howard Hunt, a former CIA officer and White House staff member, and G. Gordon Liddy, a former FBI agent

5. The Reason for the Break In • At about 1 a.m. a security guard along with multiple police had discovered 5 men looking at files. • The contents of these files and folders on Daniel Ellsberg from a psychiatrists office. • Daniel Ellsberg was the military analyst who had leaked the Pentagon Papers. • The hope was to find any kind of “dirt” to discredit him and his voice from being heard during the re-election of President Nixon. • Other offices were broken into, but Ellsberg’s was the most noticeable.

6. The Cover Up • White House immediately claimed no involvement of the Nixon Administration • CREEP destroyed evidence of the break ins; transcripts of wiretaps, burglary equipment • June 23, 1972- Nixon ordered a block of an FBI investigation of the White House’s involvement • Claimed it would endanger national security • Nixon’s phone call documenting this order would later be called the “smoking gun” when released because it provided evidence that the president had been part of the scandal all along. • Meanwhile, Washington Post writers, Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward were given tapes from a disguised source known as “Deep Throat” who was later revealed as FBI deputy director, W. Mark Felt, Sr. • Using the evidence, they published articles pointing to Nixon’s involvement, financial funding through campaign contributions, and the strategic basis of the break in to Nixon’s campaign • White House insisted that the accusations from Bernstein and Woodward were false, from a single “liberal” newspaper • Nixon won the 1972 election in a landslide. Chapstick containers with hidden microphones.

7. The Trial • The trial of 5 burglars and 2 accomplices began about two weeks before Nixon’s inauguration • Judge John Sirica sentenced the burglars on March 23, 1973 • John McCord, a defendant, charged the White House with trying to cover-up its connection to the break in, including pressuring defendants to lie • His testimony resulted in months of exposure of White House and campaign officials questionable actions and their legality

8. Resignations • April 1973- H.R. Haldeman, John Ehrlichman, John Dean, and Attorney General Richard Kleindienst, Nixon’s tops aides resigned • Nixon announced that the White House would conduct an investigation on the matter • VP Spiro Agnew resigned as a result of his own scandal. He was replaced by Gerald Ford.

9. Senate Select Committee on Presidential Activities • Appointed by the Senate to investigate the Watergate Scandal and the 1972 election • Began the televised hearings in May 1973 • Democratic Senator, Sam Ervin, was the chair • Cover up continued • The exception: John Dean, the president’s counsel, accused Nixon of involvement in the cover up • The problem: there was no other evidence except Dean’s word, thus far.

10. Senate Select Committee on Presidential Activities • July 16, 1973- Alexander Butterfield, former White House staff member, testified that there were secret recordings of all presidential conversations from with in his four offices, including the oval office • Nixon was asked to hand over the tapes but refused saying that it would compromise his “executive privilege” of confidentiality of conversations

11. “Saturday Night Massacre” • October 20, 1973 • Justice Department’s special prosecutor Archibald Cox went to court to force Nixon to hand over the evidence • Nixon ordered Attorney General Elliot Richardson to fire Cox • Richardson refused and resigned in protest • The Deputy Attorney General also refused and was dismissed before he could resign • Robert Bork, Justice Department official, fired Cox eventually

12. Effects of the “Saturday Night Massacre” • Resulted in a huge protest of events • Telegrams bombarded the White House in protest • Speaker Carl Albert called the House of Representatives to order the following Tuesday • Many introduced resolutions of impeachment of the president • December 8, 1973: 7 of the 9 tapes were released • Confusion erupted because one of the tapes had a huge gap

13. Impeachment • President/Vice President/Official can be impeached for treason, bribery, misdemeanors, etc. • Majority vote in House of Representatives needed to impeach • Senate holds the trial with two-thirds present • If convicted, must leave office and cannot hold any other form of office • Party cannot be held responsible

14. Impeachment of Nixon • May 9, 1974 – House began talks of impeachment • Pushed Nixon to release the other tapes • Grounds for impeachment: • Obstruction of justice • Misuse of power • Failure to cooperate with House

15. The Tapes and Resignation • August 5 – Nixon releases tapes • Recorded 6 days after break in • Revealed Nixon stopping FBI investigation • Impeachment and outcome is certain • August 8 – Nixon broadcasts his resignation. • Resigned August 9 at 11:58 AM

16. The Effects • Gerald Ford sworn into office • Dealing with new challenges as president, Ford pardons Nixon • So controversial that it might have cost him the 1976 election

17. The Effects (Cont’d) • People lost faith in politicians which is still around today • Federal Campaign Act Amendments – created an agency to enforce limits for presidential campaign contributions and financing and election laws. • Freedom of Intelligence Act Amendments – increased public access to government documents • Intelligence Authorization Act – House and Senate must be informed on US activities

18. Assessment 1. What measures were taken to cover up the Government's involvement? 2. Was the government initially successful in covering up their involvement in the Watergate Scandal? If so, how is this evident? 3. What was known as the "smoking gun"? 4. What are some of the grounds for impeachment? 5. What are some of the effects of the Watergate Scandal?