The Watergate Scandal

1. The Watergate Scandal

2. Objective Examine the circumstances surrounding the Watergate scandal and the impact on the presidency.

3. Watergate • Hotel/Office building in Washington, DC. • 1972: ___________ Party national headquarters • June, ‘72: Break-in

4. Republican _____________________________________________ (CREEP) • Raised money, etc. to get Nixon re-elected. • Former Attorney General John Mitchell was director

5. The ___________________ • _____ men caught breaking into Democratic offices at Watergate. • Plumbers “stopped leaks” to press, spied on enemies, etc. • Plumbers had ties to _______________________ • Most famous are G. Gordon Liddy Howard Hunt

6. Evidence against CREEP • Plumber had little black book with ____________ phone number. • Plumbers were paid $10,000. Money traced back to CREEP. • Attorneys (employed by ____________) showed up to defend the Plumbers despite the fact that the Plumbers hadn’t made a phone call yet.

7. Nixon orders cover-up • Nixon meets with key advisors about Watergate next day. • Nixon orders __________ to cover-up Watergate break-in. • Nixon publicly announces _________ had nothing to do with break-in.

8. Senate Investigation begins • 7/72: Senate asks ____ to investigate the break-in. • Nixon orders two of his aides to block the CIA investigation. • Nixon Crime #1: __________________

9. Washington Post • __________________ investigate break-in. • Publish stories. • Main Source: __________________ • 2008: Mark Felt of the FBI • “Uncover the cover-up and Nixon’s involvement.

10. Watergate Uncovered • Nixon wins 1972 Presidency in a landslide. • Dean giving __________ to people to keep quiet. Promises __________________________________________ if caught. • March, 1973: Senate says that there is enough evidence of a cover-up but cannot link ________________________ to the cover-up. • Big break comes at the trial of the “Plumbers”.

11. Plumbers Trial • Burglars (Plumbers) sentenced to 6-40 years. • James McCord, a Plumber, names people in the White House who are involved in cover-up to save himself, including John Dean. • Nixon orders those mentioned by McCord to ____________________.

12. John Dean makes deal • Nixon trying to distance himself from cover-up and put blame on _____________________________________. • Nixon fires Dean. Dean makes deal and testifies against Nixon.

13. The Turning Point • Nixon secretary tells of Nixon __________________conversations. • Nixon still has tapes that tell of his involvement in cover-up

14. The Nixon Tapes • Oct. ‘73: Nixon ordered to hand over tapes to prosecutor. • Nixon refuses citing _________________ and ____________________. • He turns in typed, edited summaries instead.

15. Talks of Impeachment • 1,000,000 letters sent to Congress demanding Nixon’s resignation or impeachment. • 11/73: Nixon turns over ______ tapes. There is 18 minutes missing out of one that talks specifically about Watergate. Nixon says it was _______________________________________________________. • 11/73: House of Reps. begins hearings to decide if they will _______________ Nixon on Obstruction of Justice. • Further investigations show there are a total of ____ tapes (not just 9) made after Watergate break-in and Nixon kept them all.

16. Battle with House • Nixon ordered to turn over all tapes to House of Reps. • Nixon refuses. Sends edited transcripts. • House approved 3 articles of impeachment: _______________________________________________________________

17. Nixon Problems get worse • 5/74: ____________________ orders Nixon to release those tapes. • Tapes show that Nixon did indeed order a cover-up and obstructed justice. • Will face impeachment charges and possibly charges as a civilian.

18. Problems with IRS • __________________ became Vice-President in 1973 after ________________ had resigned due to tax fraud. • IRS announced Nixon owed ____________ in back taxes.

19. Nixon Resigns • Watch Part 9 • 8/6/74: Nixon resigns before he can be impeached. • Nixon never admitted wrong doing.

20. President Gerald Ford • Ford becomes president after Nixon resigns. • Ford gives Nixon a _________________, ending Watergate controversy.