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Watergate

Watergate. Watergate. Largest investigated scandal involving a president of the U.S . that took place in the 1970s Resulted in the President of the United States resigning Watergate is an office-apartment complex in Washington D.C. The Break-in.

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Watergate

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  1. Watergate

  2. Watergate • Largest investigated scandal involving a president of the U.S. that took place in the 1970s • Resulted in the President of the United States resigning • Watergate is an office-apartment complex in Washington D.C.

  3. The Break-in • On June 17, 1972 5 men were arrested for breaking into the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate Complex • The men were trying to steal any sensitive campaign information & place wiretaps on the office phones • Larry O’Brien’s office was the one broken into that sparked Watergate

  4. The burglars • The burglars were Bernard L. Barker, Virgilio R. Gonzales, James W. McCord, Eugenio R. Martinez, Frank A. Sturgis • G. Gordon Liddy served the longest prison sentence for his involvement in organizing & directing the Watergate burglaries

  5. Nixon & Watergate • Nixon administration tried to cover up its involvement in the break-in • Evidence starting mounting against Nixon • It was discovered that one of the burglars was a member of the Committee for Re-election of the President (CRP) • Reports surfaced that the burglars had been paid by the CRP • Whitehouse destroyed incriminating evidence & gave false testimony

  6. The tapes • Alexander Butterfield’s testimony about the president taping all conversations in at the White House led to a subpoena for them as evidence • The recordings implicated Nixon & revealed he tried to cover up the break-in • Nixon refused to give the tapes to evidence citing executive privilege

  7. Watergate scandal • Nixon attempted to stop the investigation by ordering the firing of the special prosecutor, Archibald Cox • Nixon ordered the attorney general & deputy attorney general to fire Cox & both men resigned rather than fire Cox • The same day of the resignations, Cox was eventually fired • That day is known as the “Saturday Night Massacre”

  8. Spiro Agnew • To make matters worse, Nixon’s Vice President Spiro Agnew resigned amidst a bribery investigation • Agnew was formally charged with having accepted bribes totaling more than $100,000 while holding office • Agnew is the only Vice President in the United States to resign because of criminal charges

  9. Watergate scandal • Supreme Court ordered Nixon to hand over the tapes, which had an 18 minute gap • One of the tapes revealed Nixon ordered a cover up of the Watergate break-in just a few days after it happened • Impeachment charges Nixon could have faced: • Abuse of Power • Obstruction of justice • Violation of Congressional Subpoenas

  10. Nixon Resigns • Facing near-certain impeachment, Nixon resigned the presidency on August 9, 1972 • Never served any penalty for his involvement because he was pardoned by Ford

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