Watergate Crisis

An Imperial Presidency

• Nixon took office in 1969 and inherited more power than any other president.

• What happened to checks and balances?

• Went out the window with war!

• He invaded Cambodia and impounded funds for programs he did not like.

People around him

Inner Circle• Harry Robins Haldeman-

President’s Chief of Staff• John Ehrlichman- handled

domestic policy• Henry Kissinger- Secretary

of State• Aides and friends always

agreed with him!

Enemies• Nixon actually had a list

made of enemies. It had over 200 people and 18 organizations (Jane Fonda, Steve Mcqueen, Paul Newman)

• Why would he do this?• He actually had the FBI spy

on them

Houston Plan• White House aide Tom

Houston had a plan to quell the public outcry

• It would use the FBI, CIA, NSA and Defense Intelligence Agency to infiltrate antiwar groups, open people’s mail, and tap phones

• J. Edgar Hoover blocked the plan (head of FBI)

CREEP

• Nixon was behind in the polls in 1970.

• Committee to Re-Elect the President was formed.

• Illegal fund raising campaign

• It paid for “dirty-tricks” against Nixon’s foes

The Plumbers• CREEP created this group to

“stop security leaks.”• Threatened to leak details

about the personal lives of informants to keep them quiet.

• G. Gordon Liddy came up with a plan to break into the Democratic National Committee headquarters held in the Watergate building.

• This plan was put into place June 17 of 1972

They were caught!

• Read page 824• Look at the political

cartoon on page 825

Secret gets out!

• Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, 2 young reporters for the Washington Post were tipped off.

• They investigated and found the connection between CREEP and White House aides.

• Nixon holds a press conference to say that the White House investigated the issue and found no connection while he authorized 460,000 dollars to keep the burglars quiet.

It Worked…for a while

• Nixon said the story was a bunch of lies• Press backed off• By the election less than half of Americans had

heard of Watergate• http://www.270towin.com/

• Nixon was relected

The Trial

• 1973 James W. McCord cooperated with officials and told the whole story

• Next the Senate began a formal investigation• Aides began to resign• The President still denied a cover-up• On Aide told the court that the Oval office had

been bugged….they had proof.

What Next..

• The committee demanded the tapes• Nixon refused and said that it would put our

national security in danger• Nixon had the prosecutor fired and the public

went crazy• The Vice President plead guilty to income tax

evasion and resigned

More….

• Nixon appointed Gerald Ford to replace him• Nixon’s finances were review next. He paid only

800 dollars in 1970 and 1971 on his 200,000 dollar salary.

• Finally in 1974 he released edited versions of the tapes

• On July 24 the Supreme court heard the case United States v. Nixon……the court ruled unanimously he had to release the tapes

Impeachment• Bring charges of misconduct

against the President…only one other president

• On July 30th the House committee voted to recommend impeachment for obstruction of justice, violating the rights of US citizens to harass, and defying congressional authority by refusing to turn over the tapes.

Result?

• Nixon realized that according to the votes, the House would impeach him.

• Not only that, but the Senate in turn would convict him.

• August 8, 1974 Nixon became the first and only US President to resign.

Who becomes the Pres?

• One month after taking office, Gerald Ford Pardoned former President Nixon

• Eventually 31 other Nixon officials would be convicted and sent to prison.

Changes Made to Curb Presidential Powers

• War Powers Act of 1973• Congressional Budget and Impoundment

Control Act of 1974• Strengthened the Election Campaign Act of

1972• Passed the Privacy Act